Restoring an Empire
by TheButterflyComposer
Summary: 'My name is William. Through my learnings I have discovered the history of Rome and her empire. Now Europe is divided and under threat. I shall unite these people together under my banner, and restore the empire to glory.' Sequel to The Roman Empire.
1. Introduction

_**Introduction**_

In the annuals of humanity's history, no greater presence is there to be found than that of the leaders of three empires. First there were the Scipii Romans, great traders, seamen and warriors. They created much of the Empire of Rome and were justly honoured by their countrymen for doing so. Then there came the second empire, the focus of this book. Conceived by William the Conqueror over one thousand years ago, the combination of Catholic Christian kingdoms and other states into the Empire of Christendom sent mankind into a new era of prosperity, scientific learning and discovery. Following the rediscovery of the Americas and the existence of a world outside of Europe and Africa, the many people of those two continents spread across new lands and (eventually) created the third 'empire', though we are loath to call it as such. The Commonwealth of Humanity now encircles the world, uniting us all together as one people of many peoples.

As to how this all began...well, that is quite the story. Readers are advised to first consult my translation of King William's history of the Roman Empire as background reading to this, perhaps even more ambitious undertaking: the complete translated works of the Royal Memories (such as they exist), stretching back from just after the conquest of Southern England to...well, we shall see, won't we?

Of course, there are gaps in the Memories that were unfortunately unavoidable. The patchwork of pieces that remain in the ten year period after the Third Winter War are not as regrettable as the loss of almost every record from William the Conqueror before and during the time he was becoming the King of England. These losses are due in part to the ravages of time affecting even the Royal Collection at Oxbridge but also because said Collection was set alight in The Revolution. Where gaps occur however, I have endeavoured to fill them with excerpts from myself and other authorities on imperial history. The regular situational reports begun by Recorder Daniels have also been added in where appropriate, though they were never part of the Memories actual.

Now, as to the Memories (memoir might be a passingly good descriptor also but denies the fact that these were written as they occurred) themselves. As William notes himself early on, these journals, letters, reports and collections of writings have been deemed by himself to be of the upmost importance to future generations. That is why he begs any and all writers of his and any other line to remain as honest as possible within the work, with the understanding that only kings, their heirs and designated Royal scholars would be able to read extracts from it until two hundred years after they first were written.

In this way, and as far as we modern historians can tell, William managed to maintain a remarkably truthful (at least to their eyes), honest and detailed account of the past several centuries that is of such vital importance to history that the Imperial Library of London was designed primarily as a fortress to defend the ancient scripts first, with a modern day library added as an (admittedly incredibly impressive) afterthought. This might seem to current readers as a 'bit much' but to say so would be to forget how many times various groups have attempt to destroy these works and the buildings they were contained in (there is a reason, as seen above, why Oxbridge now has a large park in its centre rather than the Royal Collection).

I would therefore urge any and all readers to not immediately believe that the people who will henceforth be writing their life stories into the pages of this book are being untrue or lying. Whilst certain battle and events have been...'rectified' and neutered by the Royal writers, the overwhelming majority of what is to come has been backed up by mountains of historical evidence and research. I will add in as much as I can when either great passages of time occur within the journals or when history gets particularly convoluted. I have also changed many territories and references to places and people to modern day terms so that you will be able to recognise what is going on. Profiles on particular persons of note will occur when said person dies within the text itself, and in all other things the original text as written by the rulers of 'Christendom' will be maintained religiously.

With kind regards to the Imperial Library for allowing this epic work to commence, we shall begin. T'was 1066 and in a windswept part of southern England, William King was deciding the fate of the world...

-**Recorder TBC, Oxford, England, 2134**


	2. The Begining

_**1st January 1066**_

I am William, Duke of Normandy and heir to the throne of England. Long have I defended and ruled my lands well and justly under God. Long have I been a scholar of history and of Rome.

My life...I feel it in my bones...it shall be of great importance and significance to the world. My quest demands no less than this record, one that I would well hope my Rufus continues when his time comes.

Many know me as 'the Bastard', the malignant scourge of France, hated by king and country to such a degree few would miss me when I sail. Yes...I intend to leave this land of my fathers (whomever they be) and claim my inheritance as King of England. The fact one already owns that title is of no consequence. It was promised to me and it shall come to me, by the grace of God. The holy prince Pope Gregory, has already lent me his blessing for my war with the barbarians of the north, and I am eager to begin.

First though, I must martial my thoughts as to what I need to accomplish, and what I wish to. England MUST be mine. It was promised to me by the late King Edward. This Harold Godwinson is but a fat farmer Lord, little more than a pretender compared to myself.

So yes, England must be mine, for not only is it my right but also it contains a great treasure. I speak of London, their capital. A gift from a man far greater than any sired in that savage land. It is filled with relics of a long lost empire, the greatest the world has ever seen. I mean to take London whole and undamaged, so that my scholars might study the fortifications and battlements, the libraries, the histories of that place. I will grow strong on this knowledge, and use it for the advancement of Christendom.

Wales too must be mine. My peers in court believe arrows and bows are dishonourable and crude, but I know better. Gaius too knew the power of the long reach of a bow, and it won him his great empire in the east. In the dense forests of Europe...I shall be master.

Ireland...and Scotland. My mind falters here, for they truly would not serve much of a purpose for me. True, their people are hardy, as are the English and Welsh...yet I have no need for even harsher land for breeding room. Numerius could not conquer the place...Ah, but they were strong in their uncivilised state. Now they bear the trapping of culture, and live amongst city folk, surely they must be easier to control?

And yet...perhaps allying with them is more preferable? They are of course, good Christians and I need to show my kingship is capable of diplomacy as well as conquest. Bah! It matters not. I shall know more about that situation when I have Harold's head on a pike and am eating fine meats in London's great halls.

Oh Albion, Albion...not even your Arthur could hope to stop me in my destiny!


	3. The Throne of England

**_23rd March 1067_**

It has come to me at last. London is my seat and England lies open for assault. My firstborn Rufus holds sway in Nottingham, I believe they call it. Robert, my second son, shall rule from Caen in Normandy **[though henceforth it shall be named Normandy in these journals for simplicities sake]**. I do not trust 'my liege' the French king to keep his filthy hands off my land, and so Robert is ordered to not only protect it with all his strength but expand outwards to include all of Northern France. The king surely won't miss it.

Henry...ah Henry. His mother loves him and yet the boy is not yet nearly so ready for command or promotion. True he is but a child still, yet Rufus and Robert were keener than he to perform as my sons should. Still, he is well read and faithful, and that is as it should be.

London is beyond my wildest dreams of avarice. The Lord has delivered onto his servant a gift worthy of me, for truly with the knowledge and experience kept within these times...I could conquer the world. All of it! I would be as great as any Alexander, Numerius or Brutuis!

Thankfully, the foolish lords of the town were cowed into opening their gates when I arrived. I could not have done so otherwise without bribing them, as I wished the walls to be as intact as possible for study. Alas, the ignorant fools have let the mighty work grow tired and pockmarked, even as they still stand high and proud. What a sight they shall be when I restore them! What a sight Rome must have been when it had been rebuilt!

For now, I must make further plans for the country. I am King of England but not of all of it. The Northmen have defied me and sealed their city of York. I shall show them what a cruel man I can be. Even the good Lord himself knows when to smite as well as when to heal. Rufus shall attend to these matters personally. Then we must settle the matter of Wales, the people of which have been rowdy and most annoying these past few months.

**_25th March 1076_**

It is hard to believe I have been king for three months. I see now why Numerius fell in so deep a love with these isles. Truly, they could inspire poetry so full of love and wonder the whole world would weep over it. Now it belongs to me, and already I know I shall defend it until I die and perhaps even after said time. My first act as king was to ride along the coast, marking out places for watchtowers to be placed and to survey the land I had been given by God. It is...beautiful. I can see my homeland from across the sea, yet cannot ever now consider that a more perfect place to lay my head. True I may be King of England now, but clearly I am beholden to her forever as well.

But enough. I have sent word for the ports to reopen and for trade to flow once more. As did the Scipii, as shall I.

I shall, from this small island, develop first a trade empire and then a military one! Money shall be my power as much as faith or brave men. Hmm, that reminds me to build a great church in London to thank the Holy Father for this victory and this opportunity. I may yet make this land one of great faith, something Matilda can help with, I'm sure.

I however, must ride to my son and then on to York. Those men will learn fear at the hands of William. I am Bastard no more.

I am Conquer!

I am King!


	4. The Norman Expansion

**_4th April 1067_**

We live in interesting times. Yesterday, a chest filled with missives and treaties entered my court from Robert. It seems he has quite brilliantly entered diplomatic relations with the altogether more tolerable Prince of France rather than the impudent wretch of the father. We now posses a trade partner for English goods! What's more, and I could scarcely believe Robert managed this behind the King's back, we are now in a military alliance with France! Thus Normandy is more secure and Robert is free to expand west towards the rebel city of Rennes, which we plan to develop into a great trade city (as it is the first true port within the Channel on the French side).

Robert is thriving without his mother's dithering and my...perhaps at times overbearing nature. I am justly proud of him at this moment. Rufus is of course, sizing up to be a great heir to the throne of England. He took his forces north whilst I journeyed on an excursion to the southwest of the country, where the mighty Alfred once ruled. Here I believe we could build another port city at some point to compliment London's own...

Ah yes, London's port has been repaired and fully restored to its former glory. It will take many years for my scholars to decode how to build the great ships of the Roman fleet (and adapt them. Times have moved on, after all). But this is truly going splendidly. All England is falling under the banner of the lion now, and we are doing very well at ruling the place. Nottingham castle is being dismantled, as I do not expect there to be demand for a war in Enlgand again, should I and my heirs do our jobs properly. Instead, I shall create a new city from the rubble. Rufus is much better at naming than I, but in this case, I believe he would agree. The city shall be called Numenor, after the great Numerius whom inspired this expedition in the first place, and whom was venerated by even the Roman's themselves as a great empire builder and leader of men.

I believe that the English gentry, such as they are, seem to be a fine, earthy people of great spirit and character. It was too easy on the continent to see those unknown people's as barbarian and foreign, but now they seem merely ignorant and lacking in purpose. In time, I shall share God's task for me with them, and together we shall build his kingdom, and mine, upon this Earth.

There has been no word from any Lord or King of Scotland, but surely they must know of my coming? Perhaps I am being ignored? I trust they cannot continue to do so when York and the North of England fall under my domain, lest they wish to ignore their largest possible ally and trade partner? One thing I have noted amongst these people (aside from their absurd and base language) is that they are unbelievably stubborn and high strung when in a mood. Honestly, they believe themselves to be God's gift! A laugh, for only one or two men can claim that path, and I am never one for sharing.

But what's this? Ah, Rufus has taken York! I shall enclose his report henceforth:

**Father,**

**The North is taken, but at a terrible price. First a warning for your people. We came across men in cloaks with strange and twisted dialects, heading for London. Our guides said they were...Scottish?**

**No matter. York came into view a week ago and since then I have grown to despise the sight of its black gate and walls. Truly, were hell to be a place on earth it would be here. I ordered them to stand to and yield to their masters. They and the wind spat the words of peace back in our herald's face. It was then I realised that a reckoning would be needed.**

**The streets erupted into fighting. Much blood was spilt and not all of it theirs. I am uninjured but my counterpart lies stricken in the camp, a spear meant for me pierced his side as he rode past. Our archers mind, have been invaluable. Almost every live saved can be attributed to their quick draw and steady aim. We must remember this, if I might be so bold, when we come to claim Wales for our own.**

**The 'city'...more of a village if you ask me Father, is taken but the people from the outlying villages still fight on. I have ordered...forgive me Lord...I have ordered a massacre. Every male shall perish. All buildings shall be burnt. We shall start anew atop the ashes of this blighted place. **

**It is beyond your orders, and may indeed anger you. But come at once. You shall see it was necessary. **

**Allow history to judge me, along with my God.**

**-Rufus**

Why, this is intolerable...yet it is done. Clearly there were worse things napping in the North than I thought, Rufus is the most relaxed of my boys. What could have happened to make him this way? I must ride for York...or whatever my heir has left of it.

I am king of ALL England, after all.


	5. The Harrowing

**_16th April 1067_**

There are no...words...no excuses, to describe what Man hath wrought here. The northern part of my new kingdom has been turned from a lush green to a hellish tar. No birds sing in the barren trees, nor does any man toil in these fields.

They are dead. _Rufus has killed all in his path_.

York is empty. I do not exaggerate. He has killed everyone within his reach. I feel that whatever it was he saw in these people, the devil came to him. For this surely shall earn him his place in hell.

Not three hours ago I rode past the rotting carcas pile that awaits burning. In my years of study and fighting, only on one occasion have I came across mention of this. It is a _barbarian's_ tool for fighting Romans, an unacceptable, _despicable_ way to cow any foe.

Despite myself, I am repulsed by my firstborn today. What this means for the kingdom, I have no idea, but I shall not sit with him again for a while. A sickness has entered him that only himself and a priest can exorcise...if that is, he is still open to God. I hope that he is.

In my black mood, a messenger arrived from high flung Scotland. Their king finally has seen fit to honour me with words of kinship. Hmm...I see no reason to trust nor doubt these words, and must therefor accept them as they are. But I shall send my daughter to investigate his kingdom; she is wise in the ways of the world and fully capable of defending herself if needs be.

Two alliances and two trade partners. Will the blessings never cease? And yet why have I been delivered this evil too? Have I done wrong to my Lord? I should build more places of worship perhaps...and also visit my Cardinal in London. Perhaps he can aid me, as he has done so before.

...

**_2nd May 1067_**

No sooner had I resolved to do what I can, so had I received a most holy sign. A messenger from his Holiness the Pope arrived at my camp and blessed me as did I. The Pope wishes all within my realm to be as great a Christian force as those in Normandy. Clearly Robert has impressed him as well as myself...perhaps he could be a better ruler than Rufus?

No...no, I mustn't have them fight. T'would ruin my work and my work is the will of God. Still, it is _something_ to consider, though I never thought I would have to displace my firstborn for my second. Did not Isaac do the same though? Are we fated to suffer as their family did?

I have no answers...yet. York, and I can scarcely call that name anymore, is being rebuilt, as is Numenor. Rufus restlessly moves around establishing watchtowers and roads, a goodly strategy to be sure...but what is he running from? Ah, perhaps I should not worry. God willing, I shall live to see my kingdom grow to cover all these fair isles, and then Rufus shall take my place as king.

So let it be.


	6. Kingdom Building

**_27th June 1067_**

It has been nearly a year since I left Normandy and in that time, I have become king of a new land and Robert has doubled the size of my old holding! Rennes...(Hmm, we shall need a new name for that as well as York...) shall be the first of a new breed of city. From the London Archives, we have found the old plans for Roman settlements. I do not understand all of it yet, but it is clear they are far superior to our own. We shall rebuild all to this method now. Should we rediscover their concrete and ship building methods too? Nothing shall stop us.

I am well pleased with Robert. His task was not easy and he has thrived as a true man should. The same can also be said for Rufus, to an extent. His men have recovered from their injuries and he has stabilised to a degree. I do not believe he remembers the Harrowing of the North...I do not know how to tell him of it, lest I lose him again.

Henry is nearing maturity and Wales has not yet been dealt with, nor scouted. I think God has saved this task for him, just as Rufus' fate lies in the north and Robert's in Normandy. As for myself and my wife, we must rule justly, as these people earn their keep and deserve my respect, as much as I deserve theirs.

And now my English advisors come to me. They have made the effort to speak my language, just as I am beginning to read and write in theirs. It is a strange thing, this English. A strange, rough tongue, one hardly wonders how many of these people cannot spell a word correctly. They offer goodly advice though. I have spoken of my aim to rebuild the glory of Rome in England. They, quite reasonably, have suggested I reach out to that other bastion of the former empire. No not the Byzantines...not yet. They are beyond my reach. I speak of the Germans, the 'Holy Roman Empire' (though the Pope feels...differently, of course). Still, they hold many an ancient Roman fortress within their lands. Perhaps they could allow us to observe them to expand our knowledge of such places?

I must think on this further.

...

**_1st August 1067_**

A frightening event has taken place. My son is once again lost in his madness. A rebel army of Northmen had appeared near the Scottish border and moved downwards towards the former York ruin.

Rufus was enraged. He marshalled his men and hurled towards the enemy in a furry. Blood once again erupted into these still thirsty yet plains. His is a path towards Satan now, I am sure of it. I am afraid for him, but for myself and my kingdom too. God has lost him to madness...and I have lost him too.

Rennes shalt be renamed Exeter after a most remarkable former leader of the Britons. York shall be named Kinshall, in memory of all whom have benergy lost here, on _both_ sides.

Cecilia has decided on Prince Edward of Scotland to be her husband. I cannot fault her match nor her logic of the situation. However, not knowing what our true stance on Scotland shall be yet, I am uneasy having her leave for Edinburgh (their capital). God be with her always.

The French prince continues to surprise me with his honour. Just last week Robert sent a message telling of how he ordered his men to destroy a rebel army that was harassing both of our lands. True, he gains something from this, but the uncommonness of his kindness pleases me. Perhaps there shall be no conflict in my future? Somehow I doubt it.

I think of the future and I see only good things. Wales is a disorderly rabble of men. Ireland is much the same, though their king is strong enough to at least challenge me should I invade. The Scots are our friends (I hope we always have such a cordial relationship) and the French are winning us over as much as we are them. All in all, God has blessed us with peace...even if it has cost my son his sanity and myself peace of mind.

And now I must end this journal for now. I am sailing back to my homeland for a while with Rufus. It shall do him good. But also, we have good news aplenty. Robert is to be wed! A princess of France no less! Surely all shall be well now a pack of blessings lie on our backs?

Normandy, I do not desire you as once I did, it is true but I have missed you still!

I am your Duke too, as well as England's king.


	7. On the Continent

**_13th December 1067_**

A near full year of my reign, and what a year of plenty it has been! On the continent, I played host to the diplomats of the Danish and the Holy Roman Empire. I met my new daughter Belle, and found that Rufus, my firstborn, has fallen for a girl himself. Linota is the other sister of the prince, whom himself I met. He was most respectful, even as my family took his sisters away. I feel like he wants something from me and my kingdom...I must watch him closely.

My spies report that Scotland (it would be remiss of me to _not_ keep an eye on my 'friends' back home) is as peaceful and happy as it can be, up in that frozen wasteland of theirs. England thrives and my allies in France and Scotland share in our happiness. Great is the year 1067, and it shall be remembered as the first of a golden age of Europe, I imagine.

The French king is away and...distracted. His lands are not united as they should be (saying that, I am his 'vassal' now in name only). I cannot say what this means for the land of my childhood, but with both the far west and far east of the country outside of French control, his will not be an easy reign.

I have returned from Normandy to find my Henry fully into his manhood growth spurt. By next year, he shall be ready to fight as a commander, and he shows good application towards that end. Wales shall be his task I think. Scotland and her affairs belong to Rufus, with France the domain of Robert. Ireland shall be my responsibility (I wouldn't want to grow old and fat in my throne, would I?).

Our navy has been neglected for far too long and we must remedy that. Pirates attack our coast with impunity and the Channel is fully our responsibility now that we control both sides of it. Rebels hold sway over parts of England too, and these must be dealt with as a matter of course. Henry has formed his army and is making haste towards Wales as I write. I wish him the best, for those treacherous mountains make defences perilous and ambushes common.

Our Pope Gregory continues to do God's work. Just recently we received the communiqué that Sicily had been excommunicated for crimes against Christendom (it seems these former Normans are in an expansion project of their own...). Ah, which reminds me, the Germans have introduced me to an up and coming Italian city state which is expanding into France! Milan has clearly made use of its historic location and has fast become a centre of learning and trade; a symbol of what money and knowledge can offer when in abundance.

Still, this places even more pressure on France...what with the South falling to Milan, the German border regions rebelling, the west coast not only rebelling but being scrutinised by the Portuguese (no relations established as of yet, must look to the Iberian peninsular at some point). War is coming to Europe, I fear. Can we stay out of it? Only by abandoning our French possessions, which neither Robert nor I would ever allow. We cannot just be an island nation. Not even the Scipii were thus. They were connected to the world and so must we be. Trade and economics demands it if nothing else. And I cannot turn my back on my friends or on Christendom if it is in trouble.

I feel as though we are about to enter a period of stagnation before a war...a pause of breath, a tightening of belts, as it were. Wales is soon to be ours yet Ireland seems so far away. Who can tell what shall happen with the Scots? Or the French?

Yes, we have England and my plan is coming along nicely. Yes, we have a bulwark in France, but can they be trusted or relied upon? Still, we are in our infancy. Our only possible enemies of concern are our current friends, war is a long way off yet and my family is strong and healthy. I can ask for nothing less.

Ireland and Wales shall be my new targets. Forcing two new countries under my banner will be difficult, and Ireland especially shall take years to pacify. It may be that my role in this quest is but to form the kingdom that Rufus and my other sons will lead to greatness. Old age is coming to me like a slow sickness. My joints and humours are stiffening somewhat and displaced by the weather, my eye and ear are dulling to my surroundings and my heart grows heavy with burden. I feel I have many years yet to go, but how I shall end my days is a question I am beginning to reflect on more and more. Middle age is a curse as well as a blessing, it seems.

Heaven knows my soul better than I do these days.


	8. Passing the torch

_**2nd March 1073**_

Five years. It took myself and my sons five years to pacify the Welsh. It was a hard campaign that killed many of my old friends and brothers in arms. Half my army is now less than half my age, and I am more of a grandfather figure now than a leader (Chance would be a fine thing. I have yet to have a single boy grandchild!).

This country and her castles were as much a barrier to me as the people and their bows. Lord knows how the Romans conquered this place so swiftly...then again, was not Brutuis nearly killed at the river crossing? Did Numerius not nearly fall from the high cliffs?

Regardless, my crown is doubled now. The dragons of the land have failed to rise to my challenge and thus God too blessed this outing. Henry, my third son, outdid himself and, I am not too ashamed to say, myself in his bravery and courage. Such a strong lad tore through the diminutive Welsh Rangers and townsfolk like a mighty river. He shalt be prince of these lands, even as Rufus is prince of England and Robert of Normandy. More than ever it is clear that my sons will rule well. As to whether they rule together...that remains to be seen.

But I grow weary. My years have caught up to me at last, it seems...but I am not yet fifty? Perhaps it is some illness I picked up from some ghastly swamp...

Rufus knows well of my quest, as does Robert. How could they not? I raised them to be scholars of history too, for to do otherwise invites making past mistakes all over again. My cause is just and they shall follow it, as well as their descendants.

But how shall the record be kept of my and future king's work? I must sleep on this. I must sleep.

Yes...sleep.

...

**_16th March 1073_**

_His royal highness William First of England is unwell and many fear him to be dying. Four days ago he summoned me, Fredrick Daniels, to his chambers. I am but the third best scholar in London's Royal Library but now I am to be the recorder of Kings!_

_He said...Ah, I have it recorded here..._

'Young Master Daniels...ah, there you are. I have a task for one such of your talent and skill. My life's work rests within this book. God and heaven have issued my family with great destiny to rework the fabric of the world. I wish you to record it down, in every detail. Leave nothing out, not on the orders of any master, even myself. The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth must be placed within. This is God's work, and he demands nothing less but the truth...'

_I was sent from the chamber after a few more details, reeling from the revelations. Who was I to be the one who would write the great history? I, whom before swept the stairs and read Latin for children, would service now the Kings of England until my death. My son, and theirs, shall continue this...what did he call it?...the great destiny. I would walk wherever the king shall go. I shall see all documents, all maps and reports. The trust placed in me will frighten some and anger others. I must be wary._

_So, let us begin. Wales has been cowed into submission and my Lord Henry rules there now as Prince. The castles shall all be dismantled and repurposed as towns, so that wealth and a bit of civilisation might flow into that little country. _

_There are rumblings and rumours from Rome. Apparently the Pope has received a vision of some great purpose! Would that the king were there, surely he could accept and do the deed himself if needs be. _

_Prince Rufus has 'settled' as it were from the madness the king speaks of in his writings. Being married has certainly healed him, as has it expanded his mind to greater thought and action. The king, whom is relieved of this news, seems to believe he is ready to rule England when he is called to heaven._

_I have read a truly wonderful history of the Roman Empire that William King has seemingly spent thirty years writing. I see how a genius man of his stature would see these old histories. No wonder he loves the library so, for him, it is the gateway to further power! The world shall not see the likes of him again for a while, methinks. _

_I must improve my writing to match the King's, for otherwise this history shall be nothing but infuriating gossip and tall tales, rather than the greatest story ever told (and of course, completely true)._

_May the kingdom always stand true for God and may the king always be in splendid health!_

* * *

_**The Norman Conquest of Wales highlights and underlines the extreme proficiency by which William's forces waged war. In the same time period as a French kingdom that struggled to defeat two rebel castles (and failed repeatedly in that endeavour), the English under the Royal family's command successfully occupied a medium-sized kingdom, the landscape of which made attacking it daunting to even seasoned Roman commanders.**_

_**Whilst that campaign was underway, Lord Christopher (the man in charge of the King's Privy Council) began the enormous economic and social projects that the King deemed necessary to bring his vision of a restored Roman Empire to life. Every single major settlement received a paved road that connected it to the country's interlocking network. The forests of England were examined, documented and then dealt with, either by cutting waves of them away to clear paths for roads or by creating new forestries where there had been none before (see the 'New Forest' example). Every castle (few as they were) and fortification in the land was dismantled unless it was of Roman or (significant other) in origin, in which case they were studied feverishly before being restored and improved. New towns were also planned out and designed in a Roman fashion but with modifications for a new age (and new materials. There was no great marble importation to England!). **_

_**All in all, the five years had been a rush of activity and expansion that firmly established the Norman rule, the economy of England and the new tradition of how the ruling family would go about handling newly conquered territory.**_

_**-TBC**_


	9. The Poisoned Serpent

**_1st January 1074_**

My time is fleeting on God's earth...and I spent nearly _a year _on my bed with the most appalling sickness. I cannot understand what I have done to deserve this. Beloved am I to the people and great is my love for them. Yet in my mind's eye I could see the grey rider fast approaching and feared my death was at hand. Would Fredrick and Rufus have continued on without me?

For they are my heirs, of sorts. Fredrick has proven invaluable and has matured considerably as a writer and as a man since joining the court. Rufus approaches his third decade and has no child, which vexes me somewhat. Robert has but one girl of his own, whilst Henry has adoptees but no heirs. Is my family going to be lost now, just as we begin our story? I hope not. God willing, it shall not be. There is time yet, but the past year has shown me that only the _now_ is guaranteed. The future is as uncertain as the seas.

The new capital of Wales has been confirmed as Glyndŵr, after the most noble of her former champions. Never have I ever seen such a magnificent specimen of a human warrior. Truly, were all his countrymen of his make, we would never have crossed the border alive. The kingdom is mine now, and has been for some time. It performs well, but still has many years to go before it can be called civilised.

My Rufus and Henry, against my advice, have ridden for Ireland now, crossing close to Scotland with the blessing of our friend and brother Edward, now King of the Scots. My daughter was proven right in the end, and he is nothing but a wonderful human being. There is much to be thankful for, it seems. Still, they made orders and confident command whilst I was...indisposed. At least they are capable of independant action...even if Henry follows Rufus like an orphaned pup.

The Pope is well. His crusade, which was a surprising concept to us all, was a success, with the small but wealthy Venetian city state taking Antioch from the mighty Turk. The Byzantine's are happy we are finaly taking an interest in the growing threat, even if our action led to a 'Jihad', a great calling, of all Muslims to the fray. Constantinople is our wall, behind which the weak, disunited Christendom rests in fear and cowardice.

Bah...these are but the ramblings of an old fool! What shall come shall come.

We have made many more friends since Normandy first began to expand. The King of Castille and Aragon, whom also imperiously calls himself 'Spaniard King ' (ha, if that is true, I am king of all Britannia!) is now our ally, as well as his friendly rival Portugal. It is the southern lands of Iberia that interest me though. The Moors, as they call themselves, rest within former Carthage and Scipii cities, learning God knows how much from the ruins and scrolls within. I am sending scouts and diplomats to meet with more Italian cities, as it is clear they posses the wealth of the world, as well as the ear of Pope Gregory (for now).

Robert tells me that he rides for Antwerp as I write, hoping to secure more rebel territory even as the French (under the wise new king Francis) are beginning to crack down on these rebels and thieves of their kingdom. Antwerp would be cut off from the rest of Normandy, but I realise that he is really taking it as a bargaining chip. You see, long have we desired the French castle of Angers, the closest holding to Normandy. From its fairly central location, and paired with Normandy's castle of Cean, we can adequately defend our homeland from all invaders and the north western tip of France where Exeter City lies.

It would be fortunate if we could land such a deal, for the city is becoming a centre of trade, just as London is on the isles. That surely must be defended, both by our growing British Royal Navy (odd to say that is a _good_ thing, considering my previous historical work!) and the martial strength of Normandy.

...

**_3rd January 1074_**

_His Highness speaks truly about the Irish campaign. I have just received word that the various tribes, lords and peoples have submitted (some peacefully and some otherwise). The Lord of Dublin (I like this name. I shall respectfully recommend we keep it) was not so understanding, but Rufus would not be denied, nor would Henry ever suffer a defeat. Both ride now back to England, leaving a force behind under Christopher of Exeter (a noble Norman of distinction). King William shall be pleased, I think, with their exploits._

_The Prince Robert has made good on his promise and taken Antwerp town easily with his men. Henceforth it is to be named Stamford, (a family in-joke I am led to believe). Regardless, the heralds have been sent to see the French king and speak with him as to his and our price for this piece of prime land on the coast. _

_Europe has been quiet from war for a time, apart from the constant fighting between the Germans and Italians (whose antagonistic history King William clearly recorded previously). Still, war as a trial without end may be coming soon. Our king is...ah, how can I say it?...he is ageing. The French king is young, as is the new Emperor in Germany. With fresh blood on the table, it is probable that violence will ensue to figure out whom is the new wolf in of the pack of savage jackals. Already French armies are moving towards our lands...as are Danish armies moving towards Antwerp. I fear the Vikings may have been planning expansions of their own into France...and now we are in their way._

_War seems close and now perhaps...closer than ever. There are rumours in court that the heir to the Scottish throne has been killed. The king has been withdrawn for months and knows nothing of this I'm sure, but his altogether more insidious son Rufus? Ah...I cannot speculate. Why would we wish to harm our cousins and brothers in arms? Still, Edward is in mourning and William is in no shape yet to fight should the Scottish seek vengeance (whether it is justified or not), so perhaps Rufus is planning on capitalising on this? I do not know, and it is perhaps wrong of me to record this idle theory. _

_Rome was never much of an Empire for subterfuge, at least, not until Gaius Scipio and his seemingly never-ending war with the East. I would hate for our own kingdom to fall into such practices already, and for no just cause other than to make war easier to fight for an already experienced captain._

_What is to come of this?_

...

**_6th January 1074_**

Late is the hour. Rufus has assassinated my son in law, Andrew. I know it! Let no man believe otherwise! His is a madness that lies deep and darkly. I do not trust him anymore. Will he continue on the path I have set? Yes, but for his own reasons. He does not follow God anymore than Lucifer does, and I fear his methods.

Still, he shall be king. I doubt my lung or my heart can take more than this. They are full of black bile, my life's culmination of work! Bah! None dare fight me even on my sickbed, spineless weasels! Should I die though...yes, they will all start on the corpse! Robert will defend Normandy, as I know he shall. It is clear Rufus is going to be quite capable of defending England...purely because he intends to kill anyone otherwise!

I must warn Daniels...Fredrick, to be careful about him. Perhaps I shall send him off to Robert for a time, for him to become truly established?

Oh Matilda...I miss thee so. What have I done to your children? What have I done? What have I done?

What have I done?


	10. Scotland Alone

**_16th May 1074_**

**My father lies sick within his chambers and our enemies are quick to ready arms and armour for war. I will not let them steal this holy site from us, nor allow the kingdom to fall to barbarian scum like the Northmen.**

**I have sent Henry away by sea to Inverness. He shall steal the rebelling castle from under the nose of the grieving king and we shall have those treacherous dogs surrounded. It should help my brother too, whom is still distraught from his father's last letter to him. He will not reveal what it is he was informed of, but father could...no.._he still lives_...he _can_ be stern at times. He was so with me, at least for a little while, before I matured.**

**Daniels...erm...Fredrick, whoever he may be, has departed to join Robert in his unenviable mission to keep the thieving French and Danish off of my beautiful Normandy. I am willing to record my thoughts in the journals, of course. History shall know me...and my victories.**

**I am Prince now. And I will conquer Britannia for my family and for my father!**

...

**_27th July 1074_**

_Robert, that is to say, Prince Robert, and I, are concerned with England. Prince Rufus has taken the old King's sickness worse than we feared and his creeping madness has only worsened. Now Scotland's ancestral seat has been split in 'twain by our own armies._

_Poor misguided Henry obeyed his elder brother to the letter. The castle is now a small town, so they tell me: Perth, I believe it is now being called. By this time, Edward surely suspects us of wrongdoing and having a hand in all but one of his son's deaths. Riots and violence are spreading through his city of Edinburgh, and soon that kingdom shall have to vent all wrath at somebody, be that us or their own folk._

_Stamford is a large town, large enough that it compares more to London or Exeter rather than Glyndower or even Numenor. I believe actualy that this might be a worthy addition to Normandy, perhaps more so than Angers castle. Who am I to decide though? I am a mere recorder and advisor. Robert must decide whether to remain and secure this place (for we surely must have to defend it from at least the French and the Danes at some point) or trade it away._

_But what's this? The warning horn? What could possibly..._

_The French. The French have marched on Normandy! We must hurry back at once, lest we be trapped far from England in a foreign land. Robert and his army ride with me._

_I hope we are not too late._


	11. A United Kingdom

**_3rd August 1074_**

_Unbelievable. Just..._

_Prince Rufus has sent no word or aid to us for Normandy. We, who have destroyed two French armies already to reach the castle in time, have been abandoned._

_And why?_

_Because he was too busy_ **murdering his brother-in-law**, _the king of Scotland! Now the entire royal family is dead by assassination and the country is in uproar. Rufus is sending Henry to 'keep the peace' (and secure the last free city against his rule on the Isle)._

_What...what has he done? He has descended into barbarism and slain an entire holy family of Catholic kings for the want of two established settlements and a frozen extension to our kingdom. William would be ashamed. Robert is furious. What's worse, none of our friends and allies are any the wiser. Our good name is intact and stronger than ever. We are not the aggressors in France. We did not fight in Scotland. It merely seems like God is giving us strength to match our conviction._

_I know the truth however, and it weighs heavily upon me. Whatever glorious future awaits our kingdom, I and you, dear reader, must remember the horrific acts that brought it into being. Henry surely cannot remain blindly subservient to this monster forever. I know Robert does not. What is to become of this?_

_At least now William's vision of a United Kingdom is realised. And without (too much) bloodshed either. Our strength is conserved for Europe and our next plan, to learn and rediscover the lost secrets of the Roman world._

_I just pray we live that long to see God's work done._

* * *

_**The actions of Rufus created both a United Kingdom for William to rule but also removed his greatest potential threat (or so Rufus no doubt believed). It is difficult for a modern audience to understand but, at the time, not only did the extreme actions of the Prince mean that Scotland became Norman, it also meant no one blamed them for it. Along with most of Rufus's life, his actions here were successfully kept quiet by later monarchs and it is only now that even we historians have understood the true reason for the Edniburgh revolt.**_

_**Of the diseases that hit William, historians generally point to a combination of over exhaustion on the middle aged man and also a fever of some sort. Whether Rufus had mental issues or any other kind of modern medical reason for his rule is hotly debated. It can only be clear that in 1074, the Normans successfully conquered the rest of the British Isles. By 1076, the controlled one of the more powerful kingdoms on the continent as well.**_

_**-TBC**_


	12. The Diminishment of France

**_4th August 1074_**

_Rufus remains cunning in his madness. He has secured an alliance with the Pope himself, instantly excommunicating the French King and his people. Whilst Exeter and Normandy remain under threat, now every good catholic in the land wants France's guts for garters._

_Robert is making sure that shall happen. Already the might armies of France have been reduced (at a cost) by our brave soldiers. Normandy is on our horizon and we can make it to Exeter too before sundown, should we prove successful in our defence._

...

**_16th August 1074_**

_I am exhausted but alive. We have saved both castle and city from invasion, but have failed to make a dent against Angers castle, for the small garrison there was quickly saved by the French Grand Army (surely they were needed elsewhere?) and now our own forces are retreating back to Normandy._

_This war, if it can be called such, has been inconclusive. Yes, we have proven we can defend ourselves and yes, we have weakened France somewhat, but they clearly posses greater numbers and riches than we. Had we England's aid as well but...there is no aid coming now. And with the largest army in France on our tail, we are in for the great battle of our time lest we..._

_But wait...what is that coalescence coming from the shore? I see torches, standards, bearings..._

_The lion! It is the royal standard! Oh praise be to God. William has come for us! And he appears to have all England at his back. There is the King's council, there is the Chiefs of War...they have all come for Normandy! And we are all cheering now._

_The French who were dogs nipping at our heels, now stall in shock and awe at his Highness' magnificent charge. Robert has cried out_

**"TO THE KING!"**

_and now we all shall rise to fight with our savours. We have wandered alone for too long and now the morning sun has appeared to bat away the darkness and guide us home._

...

**_16th August 1074_**

I, William King, have returned from my sickness and brought my wrath down on my enemies once more!

Too long I have slumbered unknowingly as my demon spawn destroyed himself and the land with his wickedness. When I awoke and confronted him in the square outside the palace, I could see the flash in his eye that showed he would kill me where I stood. But today was not my day but his, for then rode in Henry, with his 'conquering' army from Scotland. He but glanced at the situation before bending on one knee and asking for my order.

I sent Rufus away to rot in a new tower I am constructing to watch over London. There he shall stay for the rest of his cruel days, kept away from any mischief.

Henry seemed to have been thinking along the same lines before he found me alive and well. I am glad he takes more after Robert than his eldest brother. I have left him ruling England whilst I ride to save my true and worthy son from my own weakness and his brother's madness.

I arrived just in time to see the French swarm my Normandy army. Furious, I rode straight into the midst with my men roaring behind me. We obliterated the ungodly wretches and left their leader's head on a pike.

Meeting Robert and Fredrick again was...difficult. I was so much in the wrong for my inactions and blindness, but they embraced me as only saints would. How could I ever have doubted Robert or made someone else my heir? God, I think, decided to remove my senses in the knowledge that I would finally come to them once they were restored.

Angers now lies open to us, and we shall take it. There we shall rest for a time before I will look into getting a ceasefire. The King of France cannot now hope to win against me and we have not the strength to take his kingdom yet. Peace would be our best option, yet there is that blasted excommunication...we cannot parley with non-Christians (which I am sure was part of Rufus' plan all along)!

I will speak with my son and Fredrick, my councillors and my lords, before making a decision. We came close to losing ourselves this year, as did the Brutii and Scipii when they nearly began a civil war. Remembering whom the true enemy is more important than disputing power between friends and family.

I am king...for better or for worse, of the Islands of Great Britain and Ireland. Now the unified peoples of these lands can work together as they always should have done, to expand their race's wisdom and greatness to further levels.

United we shall be, in our hearts and on my brow.


	13. A slice of Peace

**_20th August 1074_**

_France is under serious threat from our swords. With their main army gone and their greatest general dead, King Francis cannot defend against our advance and the Danes and the Milanese too. The Italians are sizing up to being a credible fighting force (as their Roman ancestors were) and the Danish have always been able warriors._

_King William thus sent out for the monarch of France and he quickly came to listen. The deal was thus:_

France shall revoke any claim of sovereignty over Normandy and the Norman people.

France shall hand over Castle Angers or it shall be taken by force.

France shall hand over one thousand, six hundred and fifty gold florin pieces this year, and for ten years hereafter.

We shall give France all map information we posses about the continent and include within the official version of the new map of the United Kingdom.

All points shall be agreed upon and paid in full within one day, or the war shall continue.

_It took but a moment for the young king to break and agree to our demands. His is not a head for diplomacy yet, which I'm sure his nobles love about him. William King accepted and handed over his documents in exchange for the keys to the keep and the beaten down French guard left without complaint._

...

**_20th August 1074_**

I am free from my vassalage and stand victorious over my former homeland. It is a strange feeling, one which fills my soul with delight. Peace has come to the land once more and with France as weak as it is, perhaps this time it shall last.

Robert has become my heir now. He has accomplished so much and almost all of it without aid from myself or...Rufus. Clearly the Lord agrees with my new estimation, for his wife has given birth...to a son!

Newborn Francis (well...she is _his_ sister after all. Perhaps it shall aid the healing process between our two nations?) was anointed by a frail-looking Pope Gregory at Paris Cathedral (again, he is the _King's_ nephew too). It seems the Italians, and particularly my own former Norman brothers the Sicilians, have been fighting each other over that voluptuous land the Romans once hailed from. The Germans, whom were the former power in that region, are furious and demand concession from the Papacy. Ah...even God's chosen must deal with the trial of war it seems.

Gregory has stayed on in Paris and seems to be taken ill. He is within the grasp of old age now but still...has his time really come? He, one of the greatest of his order, whom united Christendom when I could not, to fight for the Holy Land?

Perhaps God has need of him in Heaven?

Regardless, my Kingdom is well. Scotland, Wales, Ireland, England and now North Western France bow to my will and my purpose. Now with peace on the way, we can build (and rebuild, as the case may be) a great nation on either side of the channel. I must look into securing Bruges so that Stamford is no longer outside our protection. With a kingdom and an economy to build, it is time to look to the past again to see what I should do.

The Scipii seemingly 'island hopped' around the Mediterranean to both grappel with Carthage and control trade in the region. Perhaps this is what I should do as well, rather than fighting over land and with the many other powers to have influence in those rich waters. It will lend a use and a stimulus for our shipbuilding teams too...

If we are to succeed, Britannia must rule the waves!


	14. Rise of the English

**_13th September 1074_**

We spent longer than we planned in Paris, chiefly because Pope Gregory wished for me to be there with him in what transpired to be his last hours. He told me that God have given him two visions that day so very long ago. One called for the crusade against Antioch to counteract the Muslim countries.

The other was of a lion awakening in a pool of water before striding across the land, bringing life as it went. It is clear, he thought, that my quest is to be of this nature and that it shall succeed, whether I live to see it happen or not.

Whilst still going over his words and the death of the beloved father of Europe, the Papal elections came and went in Rome.

And Aston of England was confirmed.

Truly, this is but the next sign I have seen these past few years of God favouring the English. They are no longer the rough tongued barbarian's of yesteryear. Now our cities gleam with vigour and our people doubly so. We are not quite so wealthy, but we have enough. And now, our faith is deemed strongest too. It is clear my work and plans are succeeding, both because of the knowledge we have gained from ages past and the quality of the people whom I rule over. I am justly proud of my country and my countrymen.

I think they are too.

...

**_23rd September 1074_**

England's winter has a bite to it that the French version surely does not yet the company is preferable. With the coming in of the new Pope Iacobus, France and Sicily have been reconciled into the brotherhood of Christendom and I can finally truly begin the healing process between my family and the French Royals. For they are family now, and since...Rufus, has deprived me of my Scottish sons, I am more than desperate to ensure love and happiness spread from Robert's growing clan to King Francis'.

The topic of family brings me to an...interesting development. Rufus' wife was with child when...he was imprisoned. Her son Antony is now a viable claimant to the throne and a constant reminder to everyone of what we have lost, even as we enjoy what we have gained. What Matilda would have thought were she still alive, I don't know. I hope Robert will adopt the boy personally, for otherwise my death will spark off many an argument and bitter word.

We are strong with the friendships of our fellow kings. Spain (I will deign to call them thus), Portugal, Sicily, Denmark, the Holy Roman Empire and the Papacy all have strong alliances with us. They are all also at war with both each other and other nations, so much so that I and mine people are the only Christian nation not currently at war! It is strange to remember that there is no mythical senate that can presume to keep order, nor no sense of common purpose or commitment to each other, unless we crusade together. Perhaps that is what St Gregory (he has been thus ordained) meant?

The only two factions of significance to us at the moment are the Portuguese and the Milanese. Whilst one is our firm ally and is expanding into the abandoned western French coast, the Milanese broke their alliance with us as soon as we declared peace with France. It seems that though their armies are greater than that of Francis', they wished to conquer unimpeded. Bah! They remind me of Rufus then. Nothing can come well out of dishonourable war...not even Numerius was foolish enough to believe such a thing.

As a show of our increased diplomatic ties with France (despite lack of an alliance...yet) we have been given Bruges in exchange for some much needed coin (they continue to pay us gold too!). I shall rename that place Calais and, given its closeness to London, it shall probably be the gateway to and from the United Kingdom. With three cities on the mainland, Normandy and Windsor (my advisors suggested a more English-sounding name than Angers) shall have their work cut out for them in defending it all properly, but I have faith in Robert. He has already restored his army to full glory and half recruited a second. Our technology for arms and armour is improving all the time, and archery especially has been promoted throughout the land (there is also a distinct lack of horsemen in England...I must remedy this, for it is one of our Norman armies' greatest assets.) One of my alchemists believes he is on to something with a new powder that burns particularly strongly (we are trying to rediscover Greek Fire at Oxford University). His findings show promise but I am uncertain we shall have a use for them at this time.

What with the new kingdoms, the new pope, the new cities falling to us and the achievements we are making in Natural Philosophy, this is clearly the year of the English.


	15. The Fall of Northern France

**_17th December 1074_**

_Another year gone, and with it, all of my old fears about this kingdom and about the prince who is prince no more. The land is improving under the King's steady gaze, whilst Robert and Henry are in Normandy, beginning construction of the new additions to Windsor and Normandy. We have discovered the kind of mixture the Romans used to lay their bricks together (William King called it cement), and a new coating which Numerius himself was rumoured to have created, which bound the individual bricks more closely to each other and made them more resistant to fire and kinetic strikes._

_Most fascinating!_

_The news could be better from France. Milanese and our own conquests have split that unhappy kingdom apart into the Parisian region (including of course Paris and the fair city of Rheims) and the main southern region, which spans from the northern mountains of Iberia to the snowy Alps. Francis is becoming more and more uneasy in his throne and any provocation from us will be seen as an act of war. Portugal recently constructed a castle in their portion of France for this end, to protect both themselves and be of use to we, their military allies._

_In sadder news, the Pope lies dead. It is true Gregory was the youngest Prince of Rome for many a year, but Iacobus was a symbol of not just Catholic faith but of England's growing prominence within said church. Alas, a long reign was not to be. However, the new Pope Zappa (formerly Barnaby) hails from Exeter and so once again, both the church and our nation have been blessed with an English Pope. Whilst in Rome speaking to the college of Cardinals, King William also found time to establish a dialogue and then an alliance with Poland, one of two prominent powers in Eastern Europe (the other, Hungary, is lesser merely because it wrestles continuously with the might of the Romans in Byzantium)._

_Portugal, another of our allies, has performed well against the Muslims in southern Iberia. The Moors have been completely pushed out in fact, with our allies Spain and Portugal now controlling all of Iberia, split between North and South, between them. Whether that situation counties to be peaceful remains to be seen..._

...

**_25th December 1074_**

Confound those French fools! On the anniversary of my crowing no less, they have the gall to accuse us of trying to assassinate their miserable little king in his miserable little castle! I will have his _head_ for this!

Robert and Henry began marching at dawn today with the express task of taking the Parisian region (as Fredrick dubbed it) and executing that stain upon my family name! He has already attempted to kill all three of us less than a week ago and now accuses us of being instigators in his crimes. Southern France raided Windsor three days ago and was beaten back savagely by the brave men at arms, but the damage had been done.

We are at war once again with France.

Portugal has sent troops to her station in Bordeaux Castle and awaits for the go-ahead from us to ply into those honourless flea bitten dogs. I am half tempted to ride out myself, but I wish this to be settled quickly and as I have stated already, London is in celebration for my anniversary. How would it be if we could win a war in a day and deliver them of that with their gifts come Boxing Day...

Such fanciful talk is impossible, but my own campaigns have taught me anything is possible with God on your side.

...

**_27th December 1074_**

Rheims fell with hardly a struggle. Robert is looking over the main libraries now to ensure nothing is missing or looted (for this is where the French Royal Library was established under the old king and the vaults contain many treasures of art and learning).

A message from the Pope interrupted my siege planning of Paris. His holiness demands I stop the slaughter of my fellow catholic brothers and '_action shall be taken_' if I do not comply. I feel this is a coded message from Zappa telling me that my actions will have consequences, but merely because he must keep up appearances. The other catholic nations are attacking the main kingdom of Southern France and he does not want them to turn on each other should France fall or prove competent in their defence.

I am resigned to invading and taking Paris though. To do so would end forever the French threat against Normandy and establish clearly amongst the people of the continent that we island dwellers have power too, as much as the Germans or the Spanish.

Fredrick is with the scholars in London studying feverishly over this black powder referenced earlier. Its fire is bright to be true, however it seems in decent quantities the powder ignites and explodes, not burns! The applications of such a substance are immense and truly a unique invention we can claim over the Romans, for they never uncovered the secret to Greek Fire nor had any true mastery of chemicals that we know of bar poison. I am also ordering the construction of the greatest cathedral in the world to be built in London. The city is coming into its own and deserves a symbol for its new wealth and power.

There is another reason...estimates claim it shall take many years to complete the great spires and walls of the place. It is my wish to be buried within it at least, or if I am still alive (with God's help I will be) I wish to be re-crowned as King of the United Kingdoms of England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Robert shall be Duke of Normandy, as shall all main heirs to the throne shall be from now on...and who knows? When his time comes to be made king, perhaps he shall rule in France as well as over those fair isles? When Francis dies, Robert will certainly have a better claim than his son...and so shall I in fact.

It is idle wonderings now, but something to consider for the future yet to come.

...

**_30th December 1074_**

Paris is mine and the conquest of the French is well underway. Their presence has been removed from my land and their people have welcomed us with open arms. Quite shocking really, as there is not the loyalty in their former capital city I would expect and see in the smallest fishing village in England...

The Portuguese have conceded to our banner Bordeaux castle in exchange for a paltry sum (our wealth is now as boundless as our trade) and military access through our lands to peruse the French to their hiding places.

I admit, a part of this agreement was based solely on the idea of collecting and recreating the whole kingdom back together for Robert to inherit, but that is not my primary goal. The Spanish and Portuguese differ from we and the French and other Europeans. Their architecture is based off of the Carthaginians and the Muslim interpretations of those designs, rather than solidly Roman. Here is an opportunity to study another culture's castle designs, for it will come in use later, either against the Muslims or when designing our own structures, but also because it allows us to confirm the superiority of Rome agains the Africans, and Europe against the Muslims. If it is found not to be so, we must be doubly carefully when dealing with the distant East, for it was always considering untameable...who knows what demons the Muslims might have uncovered to rule that land so effectively?

An yet...perhaps the Romans, whom I loved since childhood, were not the great power I believed? Who can know until we arrive at Bordeaux? Unfortunately I shall not be able to observe myself, but Henry shall I think, as he is traveling to Normandy and Windsor anyway to oversee the improvements.

What a year...what a year.

Lord, grant me a better one come January.


	16. Situation Report I

**Situation Report One**

**Dated 1st January 1075**

**Recorder: Fredrick Daniels**

Economy:

_Booming. Greal Britain and Ireland's farmlands have tripled in output since new regulations, machinery and land assistance schemes were put in place by the former Prince Rufus. Mining projects based off of old Roman designs have begun in earnest on the Cornish coast as well as in the midlands of Ireland and the north of England. Wales has begun producing as much as it takes in from crown funds, with its coal being a most valuable export and resource, and the fisheries bring in a steady income each month. Scotland is the quandary, as all of its wealth is manufactured. Any idea the London scholars come up with or rediscover from old scripts is made reality among the finest minds in Edinburgh and Perth. The shipyards produce one hundred percent of the Royal Navy heavy ships and the Admiralty maintains a heavy presence among the lords and lairds of the town._

Military:

_The UK is the dominant Western European power...for the moment. As uncontested as we are, we have a mere two armies to call our own, hardly a comparison to the legions of old. On the Royal Navy: our fleet is strong and experienced, more than capable of defending the English Channel and the Irish Sea from pirates and enemy nations. The recently christened flagship 'The Conqueror' set sail from Perth yesterday to join the fleet in the Channel. The admiralty is looking into the possibility of a second flotilla to be sent into the Mediterranean to claim the various islands there for our own. King William is at the time of this report undecided. As it stands, UK land and sea forces are capable of defending us but not yet capable of impressing our power onto others._

Population:

_England is the largest of the countries (but will be surpassed should we ever unify the continental territories we posses into the planned Kingdom of New France) with the largest population. London is approaching one hundred thousand people and Paris is around half of that. At the moment, the population is not a concern but in days to come, and especially should a dreaded plague as they called them in the old tales appear, we must be ready. Public health is Lord Christopher's (the Grand Martial of England and steward of the realm whilst the royal family are away) main concern. He asked and has sent out scholars to study the French aqueducts and fountains dotted around the landscape, with schemes to reverse engineer these structures to bring water from the Pennines downwards towards the south of England._

Summary:

_The United Kingdom and her Duchy of Normandy are in rude good health, with no current enemies apart from French rebels and no discernible flaws within our systems other than a lack of espionage...which King William (against this reporter's advice) is correcting as we speak._

...

Enemy threat evaluations

**France:**

_The Kingdom of France has been reduced to the great Roman citadel at Toulouse, the city of Marseille on the fringes of the Mediterranean Coast, and Zaragoza in Iberia. Of all our neighbours, they are in the weakest shape, with the smallest military, population, economy and territory out of all of them. The threat to us is minimal at best, but it is conceivable they might recover and hold onto their territory by expanding either into Iberia proper or into the Med itself, with its many unclaimed islands. France is of little concern to the UK government, yet remains the only hostile force against us and is thus the main focus of our military at this time._

**Milan:**

_Everywhere France is weak, Millan is strong, though there are reports that her star is waning. Their military might and army quality was until recently greater than our own, as was their finances and population. Milan aggressively expanded into France through the Alps and performed well for a time against every other kingdom we know of...even though they are a 'Republic' of sorts. What appears to have changed is that the Sicilians have become the dominant force in Italy, wiping out and taking control of Milan, the faction's original city, in a whirlwind campaign before waging open war on the Italian city states. Milan still controls all of Northern Italy, including Venice, Florence and Genoa. With their wealth and power being turned towards their own internal affairs and against those former Normans however, they shall have little to no action or input over the French or our affairs with those people. _

**Denmark:**

_The Danes are a slowly rising power that commands the third greatest army amongst our neighbours (including ourselves) and the second largest kingdom. It was their war against the Germans that allowed the Italians to begin expansion plans of their own. As it stands, they border our eastern frontier and remain cordial with us as our ally. It is reasonable to assume they have continued their war with the Germans and been as successful, surely now having captured at least one of their great cities or castles. With this advantage, the Danes can build an even greater army. As historians will note, England has held less than a happy relationship with the Vikings, and they surely desire our fertile land as much as we desire peace between our nations. Denmark is a threat in that it is the least predictable of our neighbours with a history of raiding and violence, and is the only true match to our own armies currently._

**Portugal:**

_As with Denmark, these people have been radically successful in their wars. All of southern Iberia is theirs, along with their original homeland, plus a small expeditionary town still remains on the border with Somerset (the new name to be for the city being made out of the former castle Bordeaux), separating Normandy from the Kingdom of Spain (whom owns less land in Iberia than them, and also shares its home turf with France!). Portugal is our only true rival on the seas currently, though the Danish are a force to be reckoned with on their own waters. Their army is small but successfully, and we desire nothing but further peaceful relations with these people. They are of no current threat._

Summary of Allies/Enemies:

_The UK is not yet a strong enough power to stand alone, nor is it King William's desire too. Trade and wealth are to be our main weapons and that, by definition, requires a certain openness and friendliness. We have had much success in promoting that image of ourselves and as long as the world remains relatively stable, so too shall our nation._

* * *

**_This report is the first of many such documents that tell a general summary of the powers that be in the world. For all the talk of being the 'dominant' power in the region, the report itself recognises that the kingdom's position is precarious. At that point in time, a concentrated attack from any of her neighbours had the potential to destroy most if not all of William's holdings on the continent. Of course, that might have not been such a bad the for the English, as it would have encouraged the trade empire aspect of William's plan to develope that much sooner, but it would have been a death knell to the larger ideal of uniting Christendom under one banner._**

**_One advantage the Normans had over the Scipii was the fact that their economy, as noted above, was far more stable and secure for the moment. It was not as large as the Roman's, hence the pitiful military size, but the fact that William and his nobkes took great pains to keep the economy both moving and healthy benefited the the common man and the empire in general._**

**_The only true failing of the report is in its descriptions of the foreign nations. As will soon become apparent, until the English adopted a far more lenient attitude towards spycraft, the kingdom was constantly surprised and kept on her toes by their 'friends' on the continent. To students of History, the lack of Sicily especially on the list is chilling and foreboding._**

**_-Recorder TBC_**


	17. The Battle of Somerset

**_11th April 1075_**

_Bordeaux Castle has been extensively studied and is currently in the process of being decommissioned. We are creating a new settlement in the territory we were granted with it, and I believe Prince Henry wishes it to be named Somerset. Prince Robert in the east has rechristened Rheims as Oxbridge, given the surprising amount of scholars and graduates running around from those two of our finest schools, desperate to learn and teach in their French counterpart's university town._

_The border war between France and Normandy has quietened down, and intelligence suggests they are preparing to attack the last remaining Portuguese outpost north of the kingdom of Spain. Our allies are prepared and will surely be victorious._

...

**_9th May 1075_**

Today is a day that shall go down in history as The Battle of Somerset.

This morning, the wicked French king in a moment of madness decided to take his entire army (a full _one quarter_ of every man he posses) and take Somerset from us. The city was just newly christened and hardly any of our men were stationed there. A mere two bands of spearman we use as normal police forces, plus a group of young squires wishing to be Knights (and thus dismounted) held the town.

Surely the place would have thrown open its doors and surrendered to the inevitable, were they not led by John Stewart, the man whom had defend the southern border against the French so successfully he was made a nobleman. Now the town's fate rested with him.

The walls were of stone and the French lacked artillery, so Stewart placed his spears on either side of the door whilst his one true weapon, his scorpion siege engine, he placed behind. For the walls, two groups of local archers and the Knights were the only ones left to stand guard.

The battle commenced and the casualties were high. Stewart's initial plan to exit the city via the side gate and charge at the unprotected backs of the ground troops was thwarted by King Francis the Merciless. He did not despair however, and used what remained of his cavalry to ensure the streets continued to belong to him, even as the walls were fought over.

The would-be Knights acquitted themselves bravely, holding the right hand wall themselves against all comers, till they perished to a man, taking thirty percent of the French with them. The archers managed to destroy the left handed attackers on the wall, whilst the centre destroyed any whom descended to the street.

Eventually numbers overcame the defences and the men were ordered back. But Stewart did not follow them. Riding out in one desperate charge, he plunged his sword into the neck of the evil king and died alongside him, the more noble of the two.

The town centre then became a bloodbath as all tried to defend and hold against the only troops left for the attack: crossbow men. One group of archers remaining with arrows in their quivers, whilst the others threw theirs down and fought hand to hand.

In the end, the town was held, with ninety percent of the astonishingly brave guard dead. But those one hundred remaining men lived knowing they had destroyed over seven hundred and fifty Frenchmen, and wiped out the main army of France.

Robert and Henry are riding south now (their armies were just too late to catch the end of the battle), and have sworn never to rest as long as France remains a threat. The pope has excommunicated the swine dogs, and I myself am preparing an army of my own. This time, there will be no dawn again for a living Frenchman.

...

**_12th May 1075_**

France now bows to my rule. Only two cities remain outside my control and the loss of their citadel, army and king at Somerset and in defending Toulouse (the castle) means they are no more a kingdom now than a pair of city states with delusions of grandeur.

Those foolish men sent a diplomat to demand an end to the fighting, and you would not know it but he was a smug and proud fool. Strolling in as cool as brass when the floor remains unswept of his compatriots blood, and yet he demanded _we_ give up money and land! I would string him up on the battlements were I not afraid the poison which so clearly resides within would spew out along with his guts.

Still, this is a fine keep and wall. It is clear Francis spent much of his kingdom's wealth on this compensatory display of power and manliness. I shall dub it Bastion, for it marked the end of the French (and soon to be mine) kingdom. The French in King Fredrick's 'Spain' can do as they wish, for they house no nobles nor anyone now whom we owe a debt to be paid in blood. The city of Marseille however, that contains the last men of the old king and the last outlying crop from the glorious new France I am constructing with my sons. I must make haste though, for Milan may turn its hungry gaze towards the unprotected vestment...and their power surrounds the last city on two sides with their own settlements, one of which, Dijon, should also rightly be under my possession.

Speaking of the Italians, I have read with interest about the continental war concerning Milan and the Sicilians. One side controls all north of Rome, whilst the other all South. The historical parallels are amusing, but I note in particular how, when the Sicilians brought their full force to bear, the war merely resulted in casualties. The cities of Italy are too old, too strong and too rich to fall for any army it seems. When they managed to capture one (the former Julii capital in fact...), they were able to utilise this against the Milanese despite being completed surrounded by enemy territory.

The lesson is clear here. Italy is a bear pit of war and violence, but once a foothold is established, it will hold forever. Robert plans to circumvent this entirely. Now we have reached the Mediterranean coast (a small but proud accomplishment, I must say), we can more easily construct a presence on the water, not that this stops the planned Royal Navy expeditionary force from moving in from England across the straits of Gibraltar. Robert proposes to ignore Italy for now and focus on taking over every island in the sea. It was this, he said, which made the Scipii a true force in Italy, not Capua.

The idea holds merit, and it encourages me to see him plan his own small campaign. I admit, the temptation of directly affecting Italy is there, but it is far wiser to plot this course than a full on invasion against a people whom have done us no harm (yet?).

End the war with France, then we shall be surrounded by faithful allies. I shall create the new kingdom to add to the Union, and then I shall rest, I think.

* * *

_**The disintegration of France to Milanease and English rule marked a turning point in European history, particularly for the west. Not since before the Holy Roman Empire itself had properly existed had the possibility of a large pan-kingdom Union existed and yet the Normans had successfully done so. Whilst the unification of the British Isles marked them as strong, the domination and in some ways reclamation of France presented to the rest of Christendom that Western Europe was awakening from its slumber. **_

_**The Italian 'Civil War' (of course, being no more united than Iberia was, there could not be a true civil war there for many years but that is how both the Royals and most early historians describe it) is of course, of great significance to history also, for it denotes the rise of two powerful Italian factions, one of whom was not only Norman in origin but used the same strategy as William employed.**_

_**Still, the rest of the Afro-Eurasian world was far more powerful and quite unconcerned with what was happening in the former heartlands of the Roman Empire. The current Empire in Byzantium (which referred to itself as Roman and for all intents and purposes was) held far more power than any of the kingdom's in Western Europe and they were locked in a constant struggle to not only defend Europe from the Turk and Egyptian Muslim but also to defend their own borders from ravaging Hungarians. It would be a long time before anyone outside of the Catholic faith paid attention to the 'barbarian' kings of the north.**_

_**By that point**__**, it was far too late for them.**_

_**-Recorder TBC**_


	18. The Tower Conspiracy

**_13th May 1075_**

**'Father, **

**I write to you with my most humble apologies and undying love. The error of my ways and my unquestionable sins have brought shame to us all and near doom upon the great destiny we have been granted. **

**You did not know it but I have been at work within my prison. The tower has become the base of operations for the single most effective spy network since Numerius' Secret Legion of Cyprus. From my chambers, I track the pulse of all Christendom. It has been my spies and agents that have been at work aiding brother. It was I who orchestrated the collapse of France and the provocation of their kings.**

**All this I have done to strengthen us for what is to come. Enclosed with this letter, and I beg you to read it at least father, is a report on the strength of the former Norman brothers in Sicily. Your 'chronicler' Daniels was dismissive of their power in his own report (yes I have read it. Suffice to say, were it not for my organisation, the whole of Europe would know your every move) yet it should not be your policy to ignore these people. Already they have undisputed control of all of Italy. Already they expand into the Mediterranean. Already they fight in Africa with the natives. **

**Do you not see? They are following the Roman model as well! It could be that these people, whom you have been ignoring, could be both our greatest ally or our greatest enemy. Do you think now Rome is surrounded, the English buffoon on the Holy See will remain neutral? Do you believe that a nation exemplifying the very qualities the Scipii possessed is no threat to you? **

**Be not afraid of them yet my king, but see the world for what it is. Do you wish for another...nay, not just another, but your own exiled disgraced people, steal your grand designs for a restored empire for their own? **

**I write this letter to you for one purpose other than this warning. It pertains to my son, whom is under the stewardship of Robert. Do not judge him harshly for his father's crimes...but I know even now that you shall not. You are a good man my father, whilst I am unworthy to be your son. **

**Farewell, for I doubt we shall correspond again.**

**-Rufus**

...

_Never have I heard a foul word from his Majesty's mouth before today. This letter from the disgraced one has sent him into a mood the likes of which we have not seen since his illness. It should have been our moment of triumph and yet it has taken our own monster within our ranks to show us how blind we were being._

_How could I have overlooked the Sicilian menace? How did we not see Rufus' agency at work within our ranks? Never mind what the intelligence reports originated from, for they are true. Europe now contains two expanding kingdoms built upon the corpse of the old system. What's worse, our lands are connected to theirs by the many highways dotted around the landscape. The ones _we_ rebuilt._

_My Lord is troubled certainly, but Robert is determined. I believe he intends to deal with The Tower Conspiracy personally. Maybe under he, the obviously highly skilled people that have loyally (if illegally) defended both ourselves and the kingdoms...can be put to a better use? I still despise the notion of spying and assassination, but cannot deny intelligence gathering is a sound strategy...and it was this system that helped prevent a Roman Civil War. We have enemies, and we must protect ourselves from them. _

_Prince Robert has also stepped up his production of the Mediterranean force he will use to take the rebellious islands on that sea. With fortune on our side, perhaps we shall prove faster than the Sicilians in our mutual desire to control the Roman ocean._

_God be with us all._

_..._

**_20th May 1075_**

**Rufus is gone from the tower. I ride to father tonight.**


	19. The Kingdom of Italy

_**23rd May 1075**_

**After days of hard riding and sailing from London to Bastion, my father and I finally took stock of the situation at hand with regards to the Sicilian Normans.**

**But forgive me. Daniels would not wish this history to become entangled due to my disordered scribbles. I am Robert, Duke of Normandy, Prince of the fair isles of Britannia and heir to my father's throne and task. It is not...something I had expected to be responsible for but...**

**Enough of my family's estranged relations. It is now my father's old subjects that are of interest and intrigue. With my beloved homeland France under our most loving care, the coast of the Mediterranean beckons to us at last, to reclaim that most notable of Numerius' possessions: the European Ocean itself. Yet there is a...I shall not say pretender, for we are of the same stock and breeding...but a second state has appeared to rival our ambitions in rebuilding Rome. **

**The Sicilian! A cruel and unyielding people were they whom split from us to form their own kingdom on the home Isle of the Scipii. Yet their blood rage did them credit, for they clearly found there the lost knowledge of the generations, leading them to control all Italia with the relics uncovered. Father is uneasy at the parallel between we two peoples...long I think, did he believe that we were given divine invitation to reclaim Christendom's past power. Now it is clear others vie for His favour and blessing. Whilst the college of Cardinals and the sanctity of Roma herself is untarnished still by these Italian pretenders, only a fool would be live this will continue to be the case. The Papacy is surrounded by a united people devoted to their rulers and not His Holiness. The sea, on which many of our hopes were pressed, is under the domination of the grey sails as well.**

**Truly then, I have a great undertaking ahead, matching Father's own crusade to unite not only the English, the Welsh, the Scots and the Irish but his own fellow Frenchmen. How fitting now that I have been handed the task of reuniting our own lost flock together again...through barter, arms or divine intervention. **

**But I ramble on, and Daniels has finished his updated report on the new threat before us. Assigning him the 'honour' of spymaster is an inspired choice, as no doubt he shall keep the nefarious agents in line...and perhaps even object to we whom should know better, should we ever overstep the moral boundaries laid down for us in the Word.**

...

_**Updated Sicilian Report**_

_Mine King, mine Lord, I do humbly apologise for the inexcusable lack of information we possessed on these people mere months ago. Here enclosed is all my...agents...have discovered on these Normans._

_The Sicilian Kingdom of Italy is a rising power indeed. Having established themselves on the Isle first, they then proceeded to expand until all south of Rome in Italy was theirs. Finding a boundary between the North in the shape of the Imperial Germans, the king took the astonishingly effective approach of invading Africa, landing and capturing the land on which Carthage herself formerly stood. They have since conquered much of Northern Africa (to the detriment of both the Moors, and the Portuguese lands they flee towards). Despite the massive expense of the invasion and Christian conversion process, having a near monopoly on all tradable goods has rewarded them with fountains of gold the likes of which Minas and Cratus would be jealous of. _

_Through this wealth, they proceeded to buy a great fleet that polices their will on the high seas, whilst on land, much of Northern Italy fell from not one drop of blood but vast floods of gold. When the Milanese finally realised their mistake, it was far too late. The Germans were already gone from Italy and the Venetian eastern colonies were far more valuable to the Doge than his own home city, with both powers having sold what holdings they possessed to the Sicilians. Very soon, Milan and Rome stood alone as the only city states under her original rulers, with Sicilian armies barely being held back by the vast wealth of Milan's own kingdom in the east of France. The green banker mercenary armies were not at all a match for Norman battle prowess, and we expect total dominion of Italy to be in the future fortunes of the Sicilian king._

_With great colonies established in Africa, Italy falling under heel and the sea belonging to the grey sails, Sicily is now the greatest potential ally, and threat, to the Union._

_..._

I am concerned with Fredrick's report. The Sicilian presence in the Mediterranean is quite unacceptable, and their claims as a unifier of Italy are troubling. Whilst I am not apposed to others progressing along the wise path of learning through history...I concede that I am disquieted with the success another king is enjoying.

Milan is weaker than I feared though. We might surely posses Dijon far more speedily than I presumed if their treasury is surely so focused on their southern neighbours. As for Sicily itself, Marseille and the French stand between them and my kingdom for now. When we ravage that sad little place, we shall rebuild it into a watchtower from which we may observe the threat developing and secure ourselves at the same time.

Robert shall go forth as I have instructed. The French in Iberia are to be ignored, along with the 'Spanish' king and the strong willed Portuguese. No, he shall instead deal with the last remnants of the French court in Marseille, and then proceed with his own initiative to seize the two islands off the coast of Italy. With those three guardians of ours, we shall be watchful of the rulers of Italy and ready for whatever they decide to accomplish next.

As for myself, I admit to being weary as of late. With Marseille under our rule, it falls to Dijon to rejoin her former kingdom. Then at last, I can reform my homeland into New France and perhaps even retire to London to live my remaining years in peace. But first...to Dijon. One last city to restore. One last people to repurpose.

One day more, before the end of my part in Europe's destiny.

* * *

_**With the introduction of the future King Robert, the text opens up into a more varied source of knowledge about the days after the peace broke out in the kingdoms the Royal family ruled. Daniels' spy network operated out of the Tower of London and in time became an order dedicated to the preservation of the Empire and the people who lived within its borders. **_

**_With_** **_Lord_** **Christophe****_r (actually_** **_both_** **_Grand_** _**Marshall**_ **_and Steward as well as Lord and many other titles aside, but in this text referred to as just 'lord') leading the King's Privy Council, the kingdoms began to coalesce together to form one large Union. The difficulty of getting so many lords of so different cultures to interact and co-o_****_perate_** **_was found to be both easier and harder than expected. Apart from several Irish and Scottish nobles, the majority of the U.K. nobility from the British Isles was quite willing to work with the French; in turn, the vast majority of the French nobles who were left were either indebted_** **_to William for_** **_ending the old Frenc_****_h dynasty or for raising them up to noble rank. So it came to be that the nobility, the wealthy and the powerful managed to get along quite cordially with each other, once the language barriers had been breached._**

**_The French in Iberia were not left alone by the U.K. Robert did eventually conquer those last few remnants of the former enemy in an effort to put the question of French legitimacy to bed forever. Unfortunately (for both peoples), the Italians had other ideas..._**

**_-Recorder TBC_**


	20. The Italian Civil War

**_4th July 1075_**

I hate bankers.

True, I have never been known to be a master of diplomacy ( a fault I recognise to be a key weakness) yet these Milanese bureaucrats have me longing for corrupt lords and ladies, Dukes with palms to grease and kings that play hard and fast with their country's law.

I have tried everything. Map information, gifts of gold and resources, offers of military aid (that I KNOW they need!), alliances, marriages to my lesser nobles and even some fairly substantial bribes when all else failed. This Republic of theirs has gone to the ruling class's head. No corruption in a city that wealthy? How many babes were sacrificed to Lucifer for them to accomplish that?

My God, but I wish my administration were so keen.

Robert continues to plan his island campaign. The fleet being shipped round the Iberian Peninsular (with less than half the place now owned by that insipid little creature, I shall not name it 'Spain') has been delayed for some weeks now and construction from our few ports in the Med itself has been slow. The army however is more than ready and it is only a matter of time (lest the Sicilians beat us to them) that we gain our sea provinces that will truly take us to the next stage of my grand design.

The rebel (for now most true Frenchmen follow me) French in Marseilles are stuck awaiting their destruction. They cannot escape into the chaos of northern Italy and Germany itself is in the grip of another war between the Milanese and the Imperials. As we have no quarrel with either people, I wish both to settle their difference honourably...and then preferably join together against the Sicilians.

On another matter, my huge cathedral is nearing completion and appears to stand ready at about the time we are forecasted to end the French once and for all in southern France. My dream of being crowned king of all our lands appears to be coming true as I write...which brings up an important point. The dukedom of Normandy will be aught but a empty title for my heir and all future firstborn children of the crown...so Robert shall be Prince of France with Normandy castle (and the surrounding county) acting as his seat. Henry shall be Prince of Ireland, with Dublin as his seat. And I shall be King of all these United Kingdoms, with Britannia (or 'Great Britain' as my cartographers are beginning to dub it, as Brittany was the extent of our holdings in France for a long ti even) as my personal responsibility and London as the King's seat.

I am sure my privy council and my sons and daughters have much to say on this matter. Only you, future reader, can look back on this time fondly, as our kingdom and possibly your future home, begins to take shape. But I procrastinate...

How on earth can I convince the Milanese to let go of this province?

...

**_12th July 1075_**

**Our fleet continues the journey, last checking in due north of the Iberian Peninsula. Though Father and I are held back from attacking the last French outposts by Papal directive, recent events have created a new opportunity I believe we can fully exploit. **

**The Holy Father excommunicated the Sicilian Normans last week, following an illegal entry of an army into the lands of Rome. The Milanese took this chance to launch a massive counterattack against the Normans, taking back Firenze (Florence) and Venice, leaving Milan and Bologna surrounded and cut off from the main Sicilian Kingdom. Finally what our spies have been watching for has occurred. The Banker Republic (as the King puts it) has turned its full and restored might south and away from our borders. **

**This means many things. First, the Normans were not as strong as we feared and can be beaten soundly. Second, they do not posses the islands in the Mediterranean that could have foreseen the enemy armies coming and third, if we side with either faction, the other will crumble at this point. We could attack Dijon and start a new war against the Milanese, the pope's favourite. Or we can attack the rising threat of Sicily, steal their islands and rescue Roma from a villainous bunch of rebels. Either way, Father has made it clear we are to do nothing but wait until the French are gone before deciding. For now, this remains an Italian Civil War.**

**...**

**_24th July 1075_**

_Speaking of civil wars, the War for Northern Europe continues in earnest. The Holy Roman Empire buckles under a combined encirclement from the Danes and the Polish (the Milanese also perhaps, until recently?). The Danes have excelled themselves in battle, expanding their king's holdings until they reach Flanders, our border with them. The two cities of Stamford and Oxbridge have seen multitudes of trade and diplomatic traffic passing through their gates due to this, and as our alliance is both ancient and strong, we have no ill will to a strong friend developing next to our French Kingdom._

_The Polish have perhaps been even more successful, driving out the Rus and the other inhabitants of the vast frozen plains of Eastern Europe with ease. Russia comprises of a few scattered settlements in the high north, and Poland shares a gigantic land border with Hungary, the mighty nation that swallowed the western Byzantine Empire whole. It seems many of Christendom's finest are carving out their own epic empires to safeguard our peoples, especially in the east where three (some admittedly, not the right _sort) _Christian empires rule virtually supreme from eastern Germania to Cyprus. Still we must remember that Macedon alone controlled all of Poland and Hungray's territory singlehandedly once, and even that did not stop the Romans..._

_The Romans themselves have bounced back from the crushing defeats that lost them their European holdings (including Constantinople) to obliterate the Turk and take his empire, causing many to comment on how the Byzantines are channeling Alexander at this point. The remaking Turks disappeared into Egypt's growing territory and many more historians are worried where _that _will lead._

_Western Europe remains rather disorderly in contrast. The Iberian lands are glutted with Portuguese and Spanish wars, when they are not murdering the local Muslims. Italy, as stated earlier, is a mess of fronts and armies, with only the eternal Roman state remaining a constant in these troubled times. Last we have France and Germania, two former provinces of Rome rapidly becoming unified under separate banners. Oh, and we have the British Isles too of course, a great oasis of peace and prosperity in the desert of the total war that is destroying the lifeblood of our civilisation. _

_The way forward is brightening for Christendom but it remains to be seen whether we and our allies can save Western Europe from itself, lest the great restoration leave out one of the old empire's greatest regions._


	21. Darkness over Rome

**_30th July 1075_**

Words fail me.

The king of 'France' lay dead at my feet. My homeland had been restored to her former glory. Robert stood victorious in Iberia over the French rebels there. Portugal and Spain are currently competing for whom receives that prized land as we speak.

But...I have no words. Christendom has fallen. All is lost.

...

**I had just taken Zaragoza. The first true enemy that stood in the way of our holy crusade lay destroyed before us. I sent diplomats at once to receive offers from the kingdoms of Spain and Portugal to see which would claim this land once we had left it (I have no desire to become embroiled in their civil war). As both have territories connecting to the city's lands, either could feasible hold this place, though whomever does so will have changed the balance of power in their favour. Should Portugal not receive this land, they shall posses only Castle Pamplona in the north, meaning Spain shall have a much easier time closing that second front permanently. Should Portugal get the city however, Spain shall have two large fronts to fight on and will be partially surrounded. In the long term, they have more to lose in this situation.**

**But I digress, for not hours after news of our victory spread, the Angel of Destruction cast his wings wide and ensnared us all. The Pope, ****_our_**** Pope of England-born, has excommunicated us for 'unjustly attacking' the Christian Frenchmen. **

**This can only mean one thing, and was confirmed by Daniels' network yesterday. The Sicilian King has covertly taken over the Vatican and is ruling Rome himself as a 'permanent house guest' of the Papacy. Such treachery is nothing short of satanical and yet performed so perfectly that none but the Milanese know the truth.**

**Our path is lost. God might even now be turning against us as his heavenly servants have been forced too. King Rodrigo has made his bed with Lucifer and lain in it, but the other European nations, our friends and allies, don't know that yet. Already I have heard that confused and heated communications from Denmark head for my father. **

**I do not know what to do, other than wait for the truth to come out.**

...

**_31st July 1075_**

Hope is rekindled. The Danes believe me when I say the Pope is being held hostage within his own city, that we were unjustly punished and that Rodrigo has gone too far. This alliance of three, Denmark, Milan and the United Kingdoms must defeat the Sicilian pretenders and destroy their evil confederacy, lest all Christendom fall to their whim.

The Mediterranean flotilla for the island campaign has reached its attack position. We shall take them with all haste and then make for Rome. My home and hearth can wait, for I shall not rest till my God as well as my country is at peace.

I do solemnly vow that I will personally behead Rodrigo and hang his head and innards from Hadrian's mausoleum. So this I swear. So this I shall do.

...

_**6th August 1075**_

Chilling news abounds abroad. The Hungarians have also been excommunicated, as well as the Holy Roman Empire. Whilst the Germans are in no state to complain, picking an unprovoked fight with the largest Christian empire in the world is foolish in the extraordinary. What does Rodrigo seek to accomplish here? An excuse to murder the righteous Pope and host a new election that he will utterly control? Perhaps that is his plan.

Our diplomats have finally found and made contact with the Turk and Egyptian. Whilst Egypt has proceeded exactly as I had feared, developing along the exact same lines as Gaius' old Egyptian enemies, the Turks have surprised me. The Byzantines have been pushed out of Europe yes but they hold a steady hand upon all Asia Minor. Cyprus, their island citadel, is no doubt aiding them as much as it aided every Roman campaign in that region. So the Turk has moved into the lands of the Armenian kings of elder years, then expanded into Russia and the Steppes! Do those fools not realise with what beasts they are poking sticks at! Nothing good ever came out of the Steppes for a would-be empire...to attack the cold norths also, even as a powerful nation such as Poland seeks to do the same? Madness.

Robert's men successfully captured the main island off of Italy with no trouble, due in no small part to the surprising capability of their two commanders, the twin brothers Mark and James. They were adopted by Robert as older guardians for Antony and Francis (Rufus' son and Robert's own respectively). Hmm...they too are growing to maturity. Perhaps I should give their education some practical experience? Too young? Perhaps...

With a grandeur only Daniels the scholar could conceive of, the pair named the castle they fought the local peasants over 'Cair Paravel' for it was a peninsular region and of interesting design, primitive though the defences were. Plans for a town and port to bring in the lifeblood of trade are underway presumably as I write. I am also personally curious as to whether we shall discover the ancient villas Cornelius and Gaius were known to have constructed there.

Apart from these idle fancies, one small island remains north of the large main one and then Italy and, perhaps even more significantly, Sicily herself beckons. At last I shall walk amongst those hallowed halls where the Scipii were born, nurtured their young and created an empire. Robert and I shall walk there together and I shall impart my final wisdoms to him before retiring to London and England.

Soon. A task for tomorrow and tomorrow.


	22. Normandy Invaded

**_12th August 1075_**

_As I went about my normal daily rigours about Windsor Castle, an almighty chorus of crashes and bangs, of screeching metal and splintering wood I did perceive coming from below beyond the first ring of walls. As I was currently high above on the third ring, I leapt up a tower to watch, with growing horror, as a large body of me and horses smashed through the lower town and began attacking the second layer of wall. _

_The castle had been emptied as of late, due to the war in the south and the absence of both the two royal commanders and all of the generals in France (they all two were still remaining on the coast of the Mediterranean, either preparing for Sicily, rooting out last rebellious pockets or aiding the island hopping campaign). There was nothing and no one therefore, save the local villagers and retired Knights, to defend the keep or fight the invaders. As they drew closer impeded by our swords, I noticed no badge of rank or house upon any of them, and I realised these were mercenary men bought with coin to attack us where we were weakest. _

_In the end, I and the few noblemen the castle held escaped through the hidden places to the safety of the nearby forest. In one fell swoop, one of the strongest and largest castles in Europe had been taken with relative ease! Still...I found out later through my spies and agents that the mercenary army had lost nearly four hundred men attempting to stamp out armed resistance in the castle and town. They also lost their leader and thus we have no way of knowing who was behind the attack. Lord knows how many innocents were harmed by their blades yet I comfort myself in knowing that everyone within the Keep reached safety._

_But...this is not how war is waged, nor how one takes a castle! What godless beast did send these 'soldiers of fortune' against us? The only parties I can believe capable of this treachery are the Sicilians, some rich but weak noble Lord of old France we somehow missed before or perhaps...the Milanese? They are notable for using mercenaries often in war and peace, but to attack us now is the height of opportunism! _

_What on earth will the King have to say about all of this?_

**...**

_**13th August 1075**_

I confess myself horrified at the news. For Windsor, perhaps our greatest castle to fall into enemy hands almost without a fight is...damn awful. This is the stuff from which kingdoms are killed and their kings beheaded. Every single ruler, our friends, our enemies, our trade partners, looks to us now for our response. Shall I play Augustus and be ultimately broken by the experience of losing such a strategically vital military piece? Shall I be Maximus, whose rule broke as his people tore his faction apart?

I feel anger and fear for what lies ahead but shame also. Shame for losing. Shame for not being an equal to Numerius or Gaius, men whom never tasted defeat nor in such a vital position. To put into context, this is like the Scipii losing glorious Carthage at the beginning of their first expansions into Africa. Before they became great. Before they mastered the sea or ruled on land, they were brought low by traitors amongst their allies. Thankfully for antiquity it did not happen...but is the now, the Preston, going to become known as the start of our fall?

I do not know...

...Italy.

This force could only have come from Italy. Such crossbows of such quality are made nowhere else (_we real men use longbows_) and more to the point, no other nation is near enough to both march into our lands and hire as many mercenaries as those two states. The question is...who was it? The Sicilians are clever, they have outplayed us at every turn and currently have Christendom working for them. They have no need for direct assault. Those bankers though, yes I can see them doing as such, even if it's just Dijon working alone (which would make the most sense from what we know of the facts).

Henry and Robert are taking both of their armies to deal with this and should meet up just before the attack begins to collaborate. Whilst they are gone, I shall go and inspect these islands for myself. I am loath to leave my country when she is in peril but I have absolute faith in my boys to see her through the dark days ahead.

...

**_15th August 1075_**

**We ride to the castle via the Roman highway that has now a chance of being fully restored, given that we hold Marseilles (where it ceases to be in French territory). My father and I had plans to rechristen the city as is our usual fashion together but now 'Victoria' shall merely have to be passed through on the way forward.**

**The boldness of my enemy surprises me. Is this an act of desperation or stupidity, for there is no sure way for the Milanese, if it is them, to fight both we and the Sicilians at the same time. Regardless, we must fight and defend our holdings and then revenge ourselves upon the unjust murderers of innocent men, women and children.**

**The news when daybreak hit this morning is grave indeed. Far from this being an isolated incident, two new large armies have been spotted moving through the recently captured territory...and this time, they bear the Milanese colours freely. **

**This is a crisis. From a small mistake in garrison numbers, we have opened the door to a ****_full on invasion of the northern half of France_**** and with the Danish still not quite over their desires for expansion in that area, this may full well turn into a three sided European war fought across the North Sea, the French countryside and the warm Mediterranean. King Rodrigo has played this masterfully. In one fell swoop, he controls the heart of Europe and sets everyone who knows about his crimes against one another. What's worse for us, for ****_everyone _****in this sticky situation, is that the fighting in France is going to disrupt Channel trade at the same time as Italy's increasingly disruptive power struggles, meaning an economic crisis is going to explode around Europe.**

**It is at times like these that I envy the Scipii of old. They did not have to contend with so many powerful neighbours so quickly. They had oceans, other noble families and great and powerful allies to protect them in their infancy. Whilst their exploits were admirable and indeed, nothing short of miraculous, our current plight shows how much stronger and smoother their origins and rise to power were. Now the barbarians are...well...us. We have minuscule amounts of men, arms and resources, a pittance of land that contains the tiniest fraction of Europe. It is rather pathetic that such a nation as ours is considered strong, when a well-placed governor of Gaul could command far more than we could.**

**Let this be known though, for history to note with significance. This, this right here, is the beginning of the battle for Western Europe. Whomever wins between we and the Milanese shall take the other's holdings in Europe. This will so utterly change the power dynamics between kingdoms that things shall have to change. Even if Denmark does not attack us, they must respond to our expansions by redoubling their efforts in Germany and shall certainly succeed in defeating the Holy Roman Empire once and for all. Should we both remain peaceful at that point (a possibility that looks to be extremely unlikely), there shall still be a crisis when we remove the Sicilians from power in Italy. Denmark then cannot, by any stretch of the imagination, ignore us any longer. They would either have to invade England itself or attack the Polish to maintain the balance of power. I must not ignore Iberia either; should the civil war continue there than neither kingdom should be too much trouble. Should either become the ruler of Iberia, it shall drastically change naval relations, especially now we have trade routes to protect going through the straits of Gibraltar. **

**Argh! The nightmare that it shall be even if we succeed in retaking Windsor is both unending and filled with malignant horrors. The road ahead is arduous and this shall not be the first or last blockade, barricade or blemish upon it that we must circumvent or destroy. The battle for Windsor shall not be the end of us but the battle for Christendom lies in wait for us all.**

* * *

**_The attack on Normandy and France as a whole was an extremely well crafted but ill fated operation by the independent Milanease lords of Dijon. Tired of constantly watching their resources flung away in the Italian Civil War, they instead attacked the unready kingdom to their west, taking the country by complete surprise. We're they to have the full backing off their entire republic behind them from the off, instead of later into the campaign, they might have well caused a far more lasting impact to Norman expansion. _**

**_As it was, the Italians within Milan did not realise the extent to which their northern brothers were devoting themselves to the cause and so did not recognise the urgency of action against an empire for more powerful than themselves at a time when the Sicilians were bearing down upon their forces in the south. When they did March, they did conclusively, obliterating the Victoria garrison and swiftly moving through the south of France in an attempt to link up with the Dijon forces._**

**_ At that point, William arrived on the coast and met his two successful island armies..._**

**_-Recorder TBC_**


	23. The Empire Strikes Back

**20t****h**** August 1075**

**As we are in no longer such a rush or panic, I will attempt to abide by Daniels' writing quality rules (though I see that he too has been slipping up these past few weeks, for good reason). **

**In the days since the invasion by our underhand foes, we did receive reports of great heroism and courage from Oxbridge, Paris and Victoria as they were attacked repeatedly by the Milanese scum. Our own forces surrounding Windsor broke through into the town yesterday and we have just won back the castle herself from the enemy. I must now state for posterity that it was indeed the Milanese who invaded our sovereign territory. They will pay for this.**

**As I foresaw, the Danish took the opportunity to begin their war with the Germans anew, now that both we and the Italians are distracted. I would boldly claim to be delighted by this turn of events actually, for it takes their considerable military one step closer to those inscrutable Italians in the south. As for Italy itself, Daniels reports that it has been emptied of Milanese troops, with a mere town guard within Venice being their only real martial presence there. Would that we had the troops to use this information to our advantage…and yet, perhaps Father can with the troops that must now be returning victoriously from the island conquests.**

**Interesting.**

**Ah, but that reminds me. Corsica and the other islands in the Med are ours now (save for Sicily itself, miserable bastards!). Surely this heralds a new turning point for our naval power and new possibilities for our trade networks. It will direly be needed, for there remains a large economic crisis looming in the West at least, what with the complete collapse of land trading on the continent and the closing of every Italian bank in the north of Italy (Daniels believes their funds were 'appropriated' for war efforts, hah!).**

**The situation is not quite so bleak as I made it out to be in my last entry, yet I cannot find it within my soul to be optimistic so soon after such calamity has befallen us. **

**…**

**23****rd**** August 1075**

_I wish I could disagree with his majesty but the war situation and the situation of Christendom bellies belief._

_I do not know how to write this…_

_Rome fell yesterday. The Pope is dead. Christendom has lost her heart and her head to the Sicilian war machine and there is no one left now to viably bring them to heel._

_It began with rioting in the streets of the holy city and not before long, the Holy Father began openly combating the occupying forces with his own men. All too soon however, the reality of war took hold and the King Rodrigo crush the noble rebellion personally. It is said he executed our native Pope on the stops of St Peter's himself before burning the cathedral down to the ground._

_Worse news is to come however. Victoria was completely outnumbered by her enemies and fell in a brave last stand against the Milanese, opening up the south of France to the invaders whom began pouring into the country. Oxbridge also fell in the north under much the same conditions, though the local resistance there is far larger and better organised so I hear._

_With both of these new territories under their bloated belts, the Italians now have a united front against us in Eastern France though we do continue to outflank them, as they have yet to move any troops to secure the Flanders region (possibly due to the fact that would take their armies too close to the Anglo/Danish border there)._

_The situation is serious. Windsor has been liberated by the Prince Robert and he currently defends Paris with his liberation army. Prince Henry has destroyed any forward momentum the Milanese possessed in Normandy, destroying all three of their armies there before linking up with his royal brother outside of Paris. It remains to be seen whether my lieges can counter the rest of the invasion force but I have faith in them at least. It seems all our people can do now, more than trust in God or the Papacy, is trust in the Royals._

_The hour of darkness is upon us. The lights have fallen dim over Europe._

…

**30****th**** August 1075**

Hope springs eternal, my dear subjects, for even as Fredrick wrote his last reports I was returning in strength.

My dear armies from the Mediterranean seas re-joined me on the shores of Southern France and together with the twin brother generals whom gave me that sea, we reclaimed Victoria to the sound of almighty trumpets and drums. Knowing from my spies that the Milanese were swarming through the Alpine passes, I ambushed the lot of them (thanking my blessings that I had memorised every Roman path through those mountains as I did so).

With the spine of the invasion broken, all that remains is to find and destroy the remaining floundering limbs of the Milanese before marching through the Alps myself to Genoa. Italy at last! And it shall receive me like a warrior will a king!

The war in France has gone better than any of my sons feared. They pushed back the hordes of cowardly Italians back to their line in the East, with Oxbridge and Dijon remaining as their only two holdouts in what is suddenly a very hostile country to them. I leave that task to their competent hands and prepare for the invasion of Northern Italy. With their armies away I shall reclaim the ancient home of the Juli before liberating Rome from that monster of the south!

And let the histories cry, '_Roma liberator! Roma Liberatur!_'


	24. Situational Report II

**Situational Report 2**

**Dated 26th October1075**

**Recorder: Fredrick Daniels**

_Given that the utter chaos of the past six months has led to a restructuring of Europe, I submit a fresh update on the situation at hand, your majesty. _

Economy:

_There is a gigantic financial crisis looming over Europe. Oversea trading in the Mediterranean is next to impossible at this time, and our land trade routes are safe only up to our borders. Every kingdom is feeling the strain but we must look to our own first. France is very nearly bankrupt, with the Parisian treasury being emptied and spent on Toulouse, the mad French King's citadel city (renamed Bastion and focusing more-so on being a city now more than a military stronghold). This is not so bad in that it is only our own government and army we need to support, but the rebuilding of French settlements to our far higher standards has been expensive and it will take years for us to reclaim value from this. We have cut tax in the major trading cities and encouraged people to take the risk of trade, yet there remains no real way to reduce the risk other than having an army patrol the trade routes (which we cannot do if we wish to remain at peace with our neighbours)._

_The islands fair better but this is because our mines and resource-based industries continue to work. The shipbuilding and merchant aspects are struggling and will fall further into debt if we cannot restore a semblance of order to Europe soon. I imagine the rest of the world is in such a mess as us, and that this may lead to peace between peoples not already at war but also possibly desperate attacks from peoples less fortunate than even ourselves._

Military:

_We have been shown to be both strong and weak this year. Our conquest of France was impressive and our defence of it laughably awful. Still, two of our armies outclassed and defeated ten Italian ones and with the island conquerors returning en masse to Windsor and Normandy, we should soon possess the numbers to wage war in Italy. I believe the time is right sire, for you to begin the construction of your legion reforms, if you should so wish. _

_Our navy is practically none existent, save a few transport vessels used to ferry officials from island to mainland. The admiralty were the first victims of the collapse of sea trade. With not even pirates on the high seas at the moment, no kingdom save Venice and Sicily has any fleet to speak of and were it not for the island campaign, we would have no ships at all. As it stands, they remain in the only useful position we have for ships at the moment, namely in the Sea, ready to ferry us to Italy. _

_On the whole, we are still the dominant military force within Western Europe but should the Sicilians grow any greater, we will be threatened directly by their armies._

Population:

_France and the French make up the majority of people in the kingdoms now yet that creates a false sense of where our people are going. London is by far the largest city, Normandy is the most populated region in France and many of our 'French' citizens have only recently accepted the label, when you became their king. Our populations are stable and rising steadily in the British Isles but we expect a population boom in France as we increase the sanitation levels to above bear pit standards._

Reputation:

_Sterling. We are most admired by our friends and even by the neutral parties in Christendom. Though our holdings are small compared to the grandness of the eastern empires, there has been some interest in diplomatic circles over there of the rising power in the west. Should we succeed in our mission, kill Rodrigo and reinstate the Papacy, then we shall want for nothing amongst good Christians ever again._

Summary:

_The United Kingdoms of England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France, the Duchies of Flanders and the Netherlands and the islands of the Mediterranean shine brightly against the darkness of our age and look to pierce the evil forces at work in the world and in so doing, restore honour and reason to Europe. _

…

The situation elsewhere:

_The Russians have martialled themselves, fighting back strongly against the Polish and have retaken many lands lost to them decades before. However, they overextended their lines, became encircled when the Polish sailed into the cold northern seas and have since sworn fealty to the Polish Empire as their vassal, though having restored their land and honour by rights._

_This has proven unacceptable to the Romans of Byzantium, whom had designs upon the region they were slowly expanding into in the east. As the balance of power has so swiftly been placed into the hands of the European empire, the Romans had to equally quickly come up with something to counter balance it. Through the bravery of Maximillian the Great, they did. A retired general, he took command of the army after the assassination of the previous Emperor and proceeded, so my diplomats and spies say, to completely push the Hungarians out of the Constantinople heartlands, Greece and Macedonia, reclaiming the lost European half of the Empire. After gaining a favourable peace (making the Hungarians look northwards instead for further expansion, placing further pressure on Poland), Maximillian then turned his army towards the Turk, chasing him across Asia Minor until the majority of that was under Roman rule again also. _

_Speaking of Muslims, my sources tell me this has not been a good year for them. Aside from the Moors waging a successful 'jihad' (a crude mockery of a crusade) against Bagdad, the Middle East has erupted into rebellion, with no Muslim empire controlling any city within the Holy Land. The Turks have been crushed against the Roman force and whimper in Asia Minor, the Egyptians have been brought low and back into their original homeland by Venetian attacks and two semi-crusades launched by them. The Venetians currently cut the Egyptians off from the rest of North Africa though they themselves are blocked that way also by the Moors, whom destroyed much of the Sicilian army in Africa and pushed them back towards the former site of Carthage. The Moors have retaken the rest of the north and also invaded the Iberian peninsula again, gutting the Portuguese Kingdom and leaving them only with their castle in the north and their original kingdom in the west, guaranteeing a Spanish victory in Iberia (unless the Moors win). This horde of nonbelievers is beginning to threaten Europe once more and were we free to act, I would have recommended it. As it is, we must place faith in God and the Spanish…_

_Speaking of the Spanish (as we must now call them sire, they are the only Christian rulers with any hope in that region left), their war against Portugal has tapered off, for obvious reasons. The Spanish are wary of the Moors and the Portuguese know they cannot win this war if it reignites. Henry has sold Zaragoza off to the Spanish crown after all this became clear, as we really do not wish to have Muslims on our borders quite yet and to side with anyone other than the Spanish would require direct intervention in that peninsula. It is only a matter of time before one or the other; the Muslim or the Christian strikes._

_The Danish, our oldest friends, have fallen on harsh times. Undertaking a herculean task, they united all of Scandinavia under their banner, but at a terrible price for them. The Holy Roman Empire rallied for the first time in centuries and crushed the foreigners out of German lands and pushing them right back up into Denmark. The Danish hold a tenuous grasp onto mainland Europe but are safe and well within their fjords and glaciers. Their part in European affairs is however, regrettably, over with for now. The Germans have retaken a lost empire and bear down upon Italy and Poland like the devil incarnate. They are back!_

_As for the other European nations, the republic of Venice (that sold Venice off…I am at a loss as to what to call them sire. They don't seem to know either) appears to be building an empire of trading posts. Having bought, conquered and coerced their way onto every island in the eastern sea bar Cyprus (Roman), they then proceeded to attempt start up cities in the Middle East, even successfully capturing Jerusalem at one point before losing it again very soon afterwards to rebellion. With their North African land however (a most sizeable parcel it is too…) they have European, Asian and African trade to profit from as soon as the sea becomes peaceful again. They bear watching, for it does not do to ignore trading empires. One day, they may wish to impose trade regulations on us after all. _

_They have proved a capable ally for the war effort actually. Bathed in gold, they stormed the marshes of Venice and reclaimed their old capital by force, in a battle that consisted of eight armies of three different nations (German, Venetian and Sicilian). It was the first great defeat the Italian kingdom had been dealt in man a year, and we would do well to reward that republic when we do invade the main portion of Sicily's empire. _

_I shall describe the rest of the events in Italy that occurred whilst we rebuilt and restocked. The Milanese begged to be set free to fight the Sicilians and Hungary likewise begged (because of their recent troubles, although I did not find out about that until afterwards as I strived to find out why such a large empire needed military aid) for us to cease against the traitorous mob. Your majesty agreed to a temporary ceasefire of two months. As it turns out, Christendom is not quite as dead as we feared. The Holy Roman Empire, the Hungarians, the Venetians and the Milanese all aided one another in fighting the pretenders in Sicily. Florence fell to our alliance soon after Venice, with it being gifted to the Papacy living in exile on our island as well as the Hungarian Pope marching with the armies in order to restore a little bit of what the Catholic faith had lost. Bologna was retaken by the Germans (whom had originally sold it to the Sicilians but no matter…) and soon Rome was surrounded. _

_King Rodrigo was not idle all this time however. His African armies were recalled to destroy and defend Italy whilst a second force is being martialled on the east coast for reasons we cannot gather yet. Though he sacrifices Africa, he has thus far kept control of Rome and the south of Italy, prolonging the war and preventing justice from being done. I recommend a full on attack NOW from our forces if we wish to be a part of the greatest battle of our time!_


	25. Christendom Unites!

**15****th ****September 1075**

The war against the Sicilians goes well in our absence. We have received intelligence that the Venetian expeditionary forces in Africa have seized the eastern holdings of Sicily's African possessions whilst the Moors to the west have taken back North Africa bar Carthage's former holdings.

As for Italia herself, the Venetians have returned in force from their trading empire from across the seas, taking not only an African outpost next to Egypt but also their old capital city by force. They then placed their army at the hands of the Holy Roman Emperor Augusto, who promises to throw the full strength of an empire he has restored into Italy now.

This is great news indeed, though I am somewhat saddened by the downfall of half the Danish kingdom. Our ally is in dire straits in Europe, though they have managed to unite Scandinavia into one kingdom, which means this will not be the end of them quite yet. Still, the big player in Central Europe now is the German, whom rules with an iron fist but with a wise head. I am pleased they are strong and fight with us.

…

**29****th**** September 1075**

The Milanese have made good on their promise to fight the Sicilians. Together, the armies of the Germans, the Venetians, the Milanese and the Hungarians have vowed to free Italy from Rodrigo's menace. I am told Florence has been attacked and restored to autonomy by our allies and the battle for Venice destroyed many troops for the enemy. The war goes well for Christendom, now we have united against a common foe.

…

**8****th**** October 1075**

Henry has sold Zaragoza to the Spanish, as it is clear now who will win that war. The Portuguese have been attacked and defeated by the Moors, who, having reclaimed their African kingdom, now seek their Iberian lands back. Only time will tell how the Spanish will react to the new threat but still, at least one of our borders is less chaotic now**.**

The Hungarian Pope has taken residence in Florence for now for his own safety. The Papal Remnant who had fled to Corsica are being ferried over there now to begin the rebuilding process of the Church. I wish them luck.

…

**18****th**** October 1075**

The Moors have pushed deeper into the Iberian Peninsula and it has become quite clear that the Spanish are not the dominant power in the region any more. Portugal has been crushed, reduced to its old kingdom and the tiny castle in the north next to the French border. Henry, with whom responsibility for the Spanish Civil War problem lies, is growing increasingly concerned that soon a large part of Western Europe (and our neighbour to the south) will be under Muslim control. As the Moors also control North Africa and threaten to control much of the Sea, this becomes less of a border dispute waiting to happen and more like a threat to our entire kingdom.

There is nothing to be done now, yet I fear I shall one day regret not taming this wild beast before it breaks free from its boundaries.

…

**23****rd**** October 1075 **

This short writing shall just serve to notify to history that today Robert's second child Edward was born late last night. I am told the young family is healthy and happy. I wish I could have been there and I wish I were free to be now but the war has diverted both mine and Henry's attention yet again.

Bologna was seized this week by a German and Hungarian force. Now all the original players in Italy's story when I first came to power have been restored. Only time will tell who shall rule that land as one nation.

Now however, our allies' face the hard part of the war. Afore now, they had been fighting in conquered territory recently acquired by the Sicilian Empire. Now however we all must fight for southern Italy, which shall be fiercely defended, and for Rome itself, which shall be no small undertaking. It is our turn to fight the Sicilians now.

I propose to my generals this: we launch a three pronged sea invasion at three targets, namely Sicily itself, Rome and North Africa. Henry shall take the smallest group and take the remainder of Sicily's African lands (and begin the search for Carthage herself, which we shall rebuild), Robert shall take the main force and invade Rome, retaking the city and restore the Papal States. It has been decided that Florence, Rome and all the land in-between shall serve as the Pope's own little kingdom that might be used for the defence of all Christendom.

Robert argued that I should take Rome myself but there are two arguments against that. First, it would seem as though I am just another conqueror of men, who would wish to enslave the people under a different master instead of set them free. Second, it is my sword that shall kill Rodrigo, no other, and he resides in Sicily, martialling some new diabolical scheme no doubt.

…

**17****th**** November 1075**

The initial assaults on Rome, despite being surrounded by five great and powerful armies from multiple kingdoms, have failed and it falls to us to break the stalemate before the innocents inside the walls starve to death at the hands of their evil overlords.

It appears that Rodrigo removed over half his losing forces in Africa when it became clear the Moors would win that war, leaving his empire's armies still much intact. His grip on southern Italy is strong and he marshals even more on the eastern shores. I know not what he plans there.

There is some good news however. Daniels' intelligence network, the King's men, have infiltrated Rome and have promised us the gates on the river shall be open to us when we reach them. So much the better, for I wish for there to be as little fighting in the holy city as possible. Who could have dared to imagine that we would one day crusade to liberate Christendom's own capital from the infidel?

…

**1****st**** December 1075**

I am ready for war. Italy stands ready to be free, North Africa calls to our boats to land and Sicily beckons like a tempting demon. Today we unite our strength and restore our lands and our faith to freedom!

I pray to be in London, with Rodrigo's head on a pike, my family all around me and my kingdoms at peace by Christmas.


	26. Liberation of Italy

**16****th**** December 1075**

**It is over. Roma is free once more.**

**The plan worked perfectly. Our spies held the gates as we landed in the city via the river, marched and fought sporadically with defending troops before we reached the main gates, with which we unleased the hordes of crusading troops ready to destroy Sicilian rule for good in this city.**

**Riding behind them, in a surprise move, was the Pope Emeritus V himself, who at seventy years of age was overseeing the reclamation of the Vatican and the one true faith.**

**With overwhelming numbers, we crushed the enemy and slaughtered ever last grey coloured knight who had dared to desecrate this place. Retaking the Forum and centre of Rome, we rode for the Vatican and fought a fierce battle in-between churches and ruined temples before finally Prince Argo fell to my blade and command of the city was mine.**

**The Sicilian's lose one more, grand piece in their kingdom. I will rest here but a while and then press on to Naples, the seat of Sicilian power within mainland Italy. The Pope shall rule here again, now and forever.**

**…**

**Naples and southern Italy fell within a matter of weeks, ending with a rather strange sight I must record down for future reference. **

**Though the fighting began heavily, with each foot of land being fiercely defended, the numbers of the Sicilians tailed off and soon we were marching miles daily without incident. It turns out this was not because of our input but that of another…stranger one.**

**I rode on the eastern shore last night and saw the very last of what appeared to be a great many vessels slip into the mist out to sea. The next day, we received news that the Sicilians had all either fled to Sicily or across the sea to another place we knew not. The Venetians have sent out a fleet henceforth to find them but I suspect we shall never see these men again.**

…

**20****th**** December 1075 **

**[A letter from Prince Henry to the King]**

_If you will forgive me father, I beg of you. It is true we began first and fight the longest, yet Africa is the worstest of places to fight in armour and the horses refuse to move with it on most of the time. _

_We hold all the land but the castle itself, which holds out against all siege engines and assaults. I fear we shall be here another six months, battering and chipping away at the worn rocks till the place is but dust and the men inside skeletons. _

_The Moors refuse to help and I realise no troops are available either. Do not fear for us, we fight no battle, just sit and wait in irritation for our enemy to die._

…

**25****th**** December 1075**

It comes to this at last. I write these potential last words of mine out to sea, off the shore of the Sicily isle. I know not how Henry fares in Africa but Italy herself is ours and our allies. Venice has her capital, the Germans have Bologna, the Milanese (though we still have a reckoning with them) possess their old capital and naught else, the Pope holds Florence and Rome (thank God for that!) and we hold all else.

Taking this last bastion will not be easy. A mass of Roman and modern fortifications and defences stands in our direct path, as does the Sicilian grand army. Her navy is sunk and gone by the Venetians. They are the power on the water now.

Still I must try, and succeed I shall. I may not live to see it, is all I do fear. Yet I need not do so. Robert is every inch the man this…empire needs. What our faith needs. I have every hope and trust in my sons and their sons, and their sons after them, to rule this world well.

It is time. My friends, I do hope to write again, or if not, see you in that happy place someday.

Farewell.


	27. An Empire is Born

**25****th**** December 1075: The Battle of Sicily**

_Whilst these recordings serve to show the rulers of this Empire how to rule by example, the events of Christmas Day 1075 shall long be remembered as one of the greatest tactical and strategic coups in history. I should note that I write two weeks after King William's invasion of Sicily but shall be recounting what happened in as much detail as I can._

_The Sicilians first and last direct attack against us, at Cair Paravel, was desperate but powerful. Three large armies cornered the tiny island garrison inside the budding new city and attempted to lay siege. Before that could happen, the heroic Captain James destroyed an advanced scouting party sent ahead of the siege. This band of men contained the commanding general's only son-a fact that quickly led to the derailment of the entire affair. A chaotic direct frontal assault is beaten back despite the greater numbers of the enemy and the three armies, reasonably diminished, boarded ships and disappeared into the Sea (Note: you are going to here 'disappeared into the sea' a lot over the next few pages of mine, as the Sicilians have been leaving Europe for some unknown reason for some time)._

_At that moment in time Prince Henry was still struggling to defeat the garrison in North Africa but his royal father had a far greater threat apposing him. King William faced four armies of great size and power, armed with deadly modern weaponry and armour. In response, all he possessed was his original, trustworthy army; the same men whom, nearly a decade before, had won him his first kingdom. And France. And has now followed him into Italy despite all the odds. They may have been older, less equipped and outnumbered, but each of those men was worth twenty of whom they would face._

_A-flush with confidence, Rodrigo ordered his son and heir to move all the armies out of the citadel capital he reigned from and take the fight to the invaders. In response, my King moved his army to the top of a steep valley between three hills and waited. He himself and his one other remaining group of horsemen stood alone on another low hill. _

_His men needed no speeches or encouragements, for they knew their commander and knew they had God's aid. And thus the battle began._

_Overconfident in his numbers, the wicked Sicilian Prince languished far from the battle lines and simply ordered one army forward to clear the valley. This was the exact fault the King was looking for, and he quickly encircled and crushed the mostly light infantry and support troops by himself with his cavalry._

_As the second, sword and shield wielding army struggled to find a hole in the higher grounded, spear toting shield wall of our soldiers, the Prince realised he himself would have to take action. Unfortunately, his personal army was small and possessed only heavy troops and his own personal guard on horseback. The King and his men made short work of outmanoeuvring the foolish young warrior and had him quickly facing William from uphill but away from the King's army, higher up that same hill._

_The resulting hammer and anvil strike decapitated (quite literally) the Sicilian armies' commanders and thus the battle, which had seemed hopeless, ended with twenty two British men dead and several thousand Sicilians. _

_Determined to finish this dreadful war, the King marched across the Isle and laid immediate attack on the citadel of Rodrigo. Unbeknownst to the evil conqueror, our king knew of several secret entrances the Scipii had constructed into the walls. Thus my agents had no difficulty in their task and every gate stood open as if the Lord proclaimed it (of course, He certainly had). _

_My King then made an unusual but altogether honourable decision. He, taking but a few bodyguards, secreted away to the inner keep and challenged Rodrigo, with his empire aflame, to personal combat. The mad king accepted and the two men squared up on top of the highest walls in Sicily with a full-blown battle going on beneath their feet._

_King William refuses to speak of what he and Rodrigo said or did whilst fighting…it was to him a trial by combat to at last see which of them truly had God's favour._

_It was he, our William of Normandy, of England. Driving a fist into Rodrigo's crown, he knocked down the great tyrant of our time and removed him of his head upon the battlements._

_Thus William King became the Conqueror, the ruler of Italy and, it appears now, Emperor of these lands._

…

**6****th ****January1076**

My friend writes a pretty tale but reality is, by my own reckoning, the greatest of interests for a person to have. It is done. My task is over.

I win.

It…amuses me in my old age to write of this, my greatest achievement and yet look back on my life as a missed opportunity. I could have done far greater things. Why did Rodrigo have to be besotted by demons?

Why did my own son for that matter?

I suppose it matters little now. The news has spread far and wide, that the evil empire has gone, that a kingdom of joy and peace has come in. And yet things are as ever never so simple.

First, the matter of Italia herself. For one, the Germans have their lands back in Romagna but do not desire it any longer. They look north and east of Italy now. Their emperor sold me the keys and lands easily and freely, a sign I think of our continued friendship. Venetian armies have returned with much rejoicing to their homeland and so have the Milanese. My heart grow cold when I think of them and by God I shall rent them open one day, but for now I shall be at rest.

The Papacy and the Holy See have been restored as is right and proper, under our protection and friendship. Florence and Rome and all the lands in between are theirs for their use. Southern Italy remains under our control and it needs it badly. The damage wrought by their own masters and by foreign invaders have damaged the beauty of this place somewhat. But we shall rebuild what was lost, in time.

A meeting is proposed by the Holy Father for all nations of Christendom to attend and decide the fate of Italy, for all our sakes.

**18****th**** January 1076**

Negotiations have ended badly for the Milanese and Venetians. I say badly for those curs for it is they that shall pay the price for their foolish warmongering and brazen disregard of the great leagues of power they walk under. To hear them speak you would believe them to be rulers of India and Asia together! Bah!

Fools. Robert is readying our landing forces again. A seaborne invasion of Genoa followed by the taking of Milan shall silence those banker bastards for good.

Venice is trickier, for those fiendish foxes have placed themselves far beyond our reach, in the eastern seas and in Africa (where that boy still yet _fails_ to gain a surrender from those Sicilian remnants), yet their capital, so recently reclaimed will fall also. The German states have offered their support, as has the Pope and, surprisingly, the Spanish. What could they want out of this?

It is of no matter right now. This kingdom, my kingdom will respond to these Italian states decisively from now on! The world is sick of their kind!

…

**1****st**** February 1076**

I should not fail to be surprised at the ploughing the bankers took before we stormed their palaces and municipal buildings. Genoa fell like wet sand and Milan bent over like the ready whore to take Robert's men deep within itself.

As for the Venetians, their shock at their ally's demise was short-lived. A combined German assault stripped them of armies and we then stripped them of a homeland once again. Now they are banished from Europe, doomed to roam their sea and their boats forever. I wish them well with it!

One good thing to come out of all this is that the outrageous slavery the east of my homeland is under has ended with Milan. French rebels reclaimed Oxbridge, Victoria and Dijon, uniting our kingdom in France (for the first time in centuries) and our Italian lands together.

With both Northern and Southern Italy under direct control, a new course of action is needed. Under advisement from the Holy Roman Emperor and the Pope (and presumably through him, the Hungarian king), I have decided to retain the existence of the kingdom of Italy and place it on mine own head, as God wills it. I also include Sicily within the new kingdom as it was not before, plus the islands off the coast of Italy as well. The Dukedom of Sicily shall also be in royal possession in perpetuity, considering its deep historical resonance and strategic importance.

The Pope has invited both myself and Robert to Rome to be a part of its liberation celebrations. I know Robert still has problems in Milan to deal with, and his son is most unwell (Francis, my first grandson and his heir to boot! Most troubling) but we shall both attend. I have…a favour to ask of the Papacy and it would do well to be there with the German ruler and my son and also, a surprise, the Byzantine Emperor, whom sails even at this very moment to meet the 'the liberators of Roma, the unifiers of Italia'.

Well…we shall not be worthy to address _Romans_, but I shall do my best.

...

**28****th**** February 1076**

**Today is to be heralded. Today Roma is free and secure forever from encroachment from evil. **

**Today I and my father were honoured by His Holiness by the Grace of God with the title of 'Defender of the Faith' respectively. It is to be my badge of honour always and I know my father feels the same. All his years of strain, stress and fears over the darkness loaming. All his fighting and bleeding for his countrymen. It is all over today. I am determined that he should retire from active military campaigning after this and instead let his new responsibilities bring him all the pleasure and respect he deserves.**

**For today, not only did we see him anointed by the Pope as King of the Italians, but also today we saw him become His Imperial Majesty, ruler of the United Peoples of England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy, Duke of the fair Isles of Sicily, Monarch of the Sea, Defender of the Faith and Emperor of the British Empire!**


	28. Interlude: 1077-1079

**Interlude: the following two years**

After the February 1076 declaration of imperialism, the British Empire (the first and most widely used name for the pan-European collection of states, especially amongst its own subjects) began the consolidation of an entirely new kingdom into their ranks, as well as the reconstruction of an older one.

The Empire

The original kingdoms of the islands were mostly unchanged, save for London becoming the imperial capital, as well as serving as England's own. This, as well as the obvious benefits of being the home of the admiralty in Scotland and the favoured lands of the Royal family led to the British Isles becoming the nerve centre of what was to come, both during the reign of this Empire and what came afterwards.

France was finally whole again as a kingdom and rapidly became both the main source of food for the Empire's cities and the men for the King's armies. Normandy and Windsor also made France something of an imperial heartland for the British, as the kingdom represented the bread basket, population centre and military collectives of the Empire. The loss of France or even the threat of invasion would be dire news indeed for William and he knew it.

The duchies in Flanders and the Netherlands were rich and extremely prosperous, ending and starting the chain of trade through the British Channel. Their prominence would grow in time with the opening of trade in Norway and the rest of the Kingdom of Scandinavia.

Italy remained the greatest challenges for the budding empire. Having not been properly unified in centuries, the people were viewed as quite untameable by the French and Germans. William however, understood their concerns, especially as the last near-successful attempt to create the kingdom had led to the beheading of a pope. Though the city states were grateful to their liberators in part, especially in the south where the Sicilians held sway, the northern cities were anything but pliable. Despite and perhaps because of the forceful seizure of Venice, Milan and Genoa, the three most populous and powerful states in Italy were not prepared to bow to the Emperor yet. William's efforts to pacify and win over those lands eventually bore fruit though it meant he lost the first six months of his reign to dealing with that issue before it became a crisis (his method of 'dealing' with the city states involved murdering every nobleman and politician currently in power before promoting landowners to the previous positions).

Administratively, after William finally left Italy for France, Robert remained in Milan to continue rebuilding efforts. As a gesture of goodwill, all the northern states were not renamed though Bologna was, to Brutinariam. It was in Milan that Robert's first son Francis and second in line for the throne passed away over a period of two months due to illness.

Aftermath of the Second Crusade

The Papal States meanwhile, was nominally and officially independent from the Empire yet following the death of Pope Erasmus in 1077, the College of Cardinals was held in majority by the British and thus, barring few exceptions, for several centuries afterwards the leaders of Christianity were at least practically under the control of the Emperor. This also led to the shrinking of the Papal States till only the Vatican Hill remained directly under the Holy See's command whilst the rest was ruled by Italy.

The final destruction of the Sicilians in Africa and the foundations of New Carthage being laid down signified the beginning of the British presence in North Africa. The Moors did not take this development lying down, instead launching multiple raids against the captured fortress, the building sites for the new city and even Corsica and Sicily on occasion. These raids had Henry fighting many battles indeed and though it won both himself and his army great regard and glory to their fellows, within them all began a deep sense of mistrust and hatred for the Muslims of Africa, more so than had existed before for religious reasons anyway. That religious difference (and the sign of where the power lay in the West) led Papal troops to support Henry's own and establish an effective border between the two powers.

What the Christians did not know however, was that the Muslims were attempting something of great ambition also. Declaring a jihad, the leaders of the Moors instituted a revitalised effort amongst all Muslim kingdoms to reclaim the holy land from 'rebel' hands (independent city states for the most part. Historians have never conclusively found proof of any non-Christian or Muslim governments at work in the area). These ideas of reformation and resolution restored something to the Turkish and Egyptian kingdoms that had been soundly defeated by Europeans. Though ultimately unsuccessful, the Muslim world had reawaken and was, unbeknownst to the Christian world outside of Byzantium (their next target) on a warpath.

Domestic Reforms

With the eruption of Asia Minor and the Middle East into war, Europe itself was notable for being relatively peaceful for a period of great violence and destruction. The British were the only ones at war and that was really a matter of scooping up the remaining (defenceless) Venetian islands that remained the backbone of their trading empire, dealing with the Venetian navy (which had disappeared beyond the shores of Italy) and fighting off African Muslims far away. The peace led to Emperor William seemingly retire from campaigning, beginning a series of reforms that set the stage for how the British Empire would be run for many years.

First and foremost, he recast the military of the various kingdoms into Imperial Legions. This change allowed for the military to professionalise British warfare. No longer would troops come from local lords and levies but be full time soldiers devoted to 'King and Country'. This effectively ended the martial power of the feudal lords (something that created many angry nobles for a time, particularly in France) and greatly strengthened the centralised administration being wrought by the Royals. Three legions were trained and sent out across the Empire in the following two years. A partially formed fourth legion was nearly ready for active combat at the closing of 1078.

The First Legion was placed under the command of Prince Robert but he did not meet them for many months, busy and mourning as he was in Milan. Eventually he met and rode with them to the German border with the northern reaches of the Netherlands. The Second Legion remained within central France, patrolling the border with the Holy Roman Empire. Henry received the Third Legion in North Africa.

In France, Caen's days as a castle and Normandy as a bastion of the British were declared over; the castle and fortifications were decommissioned in 1076 by William. However, the emperor also founded Sandhurst, the premier school of war in the Empire and eventually one of the world's finest. Windsor Castle is greatly expanded under the reforms and for a time, every single soldier marching in the legions passed through its gates first, having either been trained on one of the vast practice fields, been equipped by their armourers or knighted within the citadel (as was the norm for the nobles of France, essentially the only kingdom with an ample supply of horses in the short term and was only outclassed when Arabia fell under British control).

Other reforms mentioned by Recorder Daniels came into effect. All the roads were repaired or rebuilt as the case may be, to a greater imperial standard. Aqueducts were studied and either demolished or repaired depending on how useful or how beyond hope they were. Great highways were built that were raised above the treeline that provided a safe, straight path all the way through France, linking many cities together, improving trade and opening up Italy to more Frenchmen. In the British Isles, the roads and other projects continued, with the coastline rapidly filled with port cities, the forests that the main roads ran through were cut down and the main dangers of the isles: boars, wolves and wildcats, were hunted to near extinction. William's huge cathedral in London was completed on the 24th December 1077, allowing both a Christmas service and the emperor to christen St Paul's.

The First Winter War

The peace would not last forever, as the year 1077 saw the first of what would become known as 'The Winter Wars'. In the east, Poland began a campaign with the aim to control the Baltic Sea, Eastern Europe and Russia. Hungary and Russia retaliated immediately but the former was quickly and quietly quelled by a series of embarrassing military disasters that firmly cemented Hungary's status as a fallen power. The kingdom that once controlled the western half of the Byzantine Empire had become a shadow of its former self.

Byzantine attacks in the Crimean peninsula failed to open up a Roman front into the war due to the independent people in the region repulsing a sea landing force. Their second foray through Armenia into the centre of Russia did bear fruit however, ending all Russian hopes of expanding southwards in that direction and giving the Romans control over half the coastline of both the Black and Caspian seas. With Russia down and out, the Romans marched through their kingdom to Poland but failed to impede the Polish army or stop them from taking Kiev, the Russian court assembled there and the resulting capitulation of Russia to Poland, becoming their vassals.

This loss outweighed any advantage the Byzantines now possessed in the east. Worse still was to come for the empire as the Sicilian Remnant finally reared its head, seizing much of the west coast of Macedon and soon threatened to cut off Greece from the rest of the empire. As the Romans scrambled from Poland back down to their own heartlands, the Sicilians took Thessalonica, the empire's second city, before marching towards the capital itself. They never reached that far however, for a Byzantine light legion caught and destroyed much of their forces by moving faster than the heavier troops. This came at a price however, for the Sicilians still possessed every resource saved from the fall of their empire and the army was ill equipped to fend off all of their troops before the main Byzantine legions would be able to relieve them.

Help arrived from a most unexpected source. The Spanish crusading army had been languishing in Italy after having helped win it back from the heretical Sicilians, yet the prince commanding the army had no true desire to return to Spain and be placed back under the command of his mad father against the Moors quite yet. Instead, encouraged by the British and lured by thoughts of rewards and honours from the Romans, he raced his crusaders into Greece and smashed the rest of the Sicilian military to pieces before reclaiming Thessalonica.

Diminished and disgraced for a second time, the lords of Sicily pleaded fealty to both the Spanish and Byzantines, with the Spanish remaining in their captured prize city to keep close watch over them.

The Struggle for Mastery in Europe

The perceived weakening of Roman power in Byzantium and the rise of the Polish-Russian Empire led to an intense power struggle in Central and Eastern Europe. With the Sicilians and Spanish now within their European holdings and unlikely to be easily removable, the Byzantines lost interest in actively pursuing lands in Christendom but still hand to be concerned with the powers that rested within.

The Germanic Holy Roman Empire was beginning to look like an empire again at least, dominating the Danish and leaving the British both allies and rather concerned about their powerful neighbour. Their designs upon Polish land were well known and both empires were preparing for war almost as soon as the First Winter War ended.

The Polish empire of course dominated the region, being both the strongest in terms of military might and the largest, with the entirety of Russia at their disposal. All that stood between the Byzantines and they were the Hungarians, a weak kingdom and nothing more. The Russians could even feasibly invade the far eastern expanses of Byzantine rule with Polish aid, forcing the Romans to fight on two fronts and be encircled by their enemy almost before a war would even begin. It became clear that allies would be required and as the HRE and actual 'Roman' empire would never see eye to eye, the British were thrust into prominence.

Despite the recent conquests, the British Empire was both the second smallest and by far the weakest of the powers that were involved. The HRE was more compact but also far greater a military power both on land and on the water, leading to fears of an invasion of France and a near certainty that the Germans would invade Italy again, despite evidence to the contrary. Still, the British were rich, in resources if not money, and inordinately successful at defeating far superior forces in battle.

The Byzantines therefore examined what the British wanted: clearly the Venetian trade empire and the wealth that came with it, and extended an offer. Were the British to ally with them, continue fighting the Venetians (who had stolen the Roman's island possessions bar Cyprus) and create a new settlement in the Crimea, the Romans would provide the aid of their navy in fighting the Venetians, military aid if required and would sponsor the 'colony', ensuring it would become a trade centre.

The British jumped upon the offer and made plans for both the campaign against the Venetians islands, using the tired and proved tactic used before: island hopping from one possession to the next. With the defending navy due to be occupied with Byzantine attacks. Tennyson, as the trade settlement was named, failed due to lack of interest and poor management from both governments, as just as the building work commenced on the first buildings, the Germans made balancing out the eastern powers irrelevant. This failure however is found to be of interest to historians as the first British Colony.

The Second Winter War

The Holy Roman Empire had been silent for some time, with the Emperor putting down a minor rebellion and creating a new navy to further to reinforce the Baltic. However, the Imperial armies had been secretly marched to the Polish border before a surprise invasion of overwhelming force. This was the thing both the British and the Romans had been hoping for, a crippling war between the most dangerous empires in Europe. Though the general thinking was that the war would be hard fought and draining to both sides considering the amount of men involved, the German attack crushed the Polish royal army and the first few Russian reinforcements before seizing the royal court, in an ironic twist of fate for the former conquerors, and forced a vow of allegiance upon the entire Polish Empire and by extension, the Russian kingdom.

The HRE was not done however for in the weeks following the capture of the largest empire in Europe. The Germans next began encircling the Scandinavian coastlines and martialling armies in the northern borders. It was at this point that William put his foot down and martialled his own legions along the French and Italian borders, whilst the Byzantines went further, sinking the entire Russian fleet in the Black Sea and prepared another eastern invasion into central Russia.

Whilst the HRE possessed the resources to repulse the British, especially if they attempted an invasion of the German states that made up the heartlands of the Empire, the Byzantines would not be so easily repulsed on the other side of the continent. The Emperor could in theory call upon the entirety of the HRE to aid whatever goal he desired, however that had rarely been the case over the past few centuries. Even with the recent question of an actual empire to back up the name, anything short of the invasion of their homeland would result in faction infighting before a decision could be made as to how to repulse an invasion in the east. Any inaction on the Germans part however would have been seen as invitation to the Byzantines and deeply resented by the already unruly Polish and Russian peoples. So as strong as the empire appeared on the map and in theory, in practice so long as the British and Danish surrounded the Germanic states on three sides and the Byzantines remained the dominant power in Asia Minor, the Holy Roman Empire could only sit wedged between them.

For this reason the Second Winter War for Eastern Europe petered out after a shocking beginning, with the balance of power in Europe now so precarious that all three empires tried hard to ignore one another for a brief period of time. The HRE had been shown that one of the two other powers had to be removed if expansion was to continue yet it was infeasible to attack the Byzantines when only the extremely weakened Russian state nearby, and borderline suicidal to attempt to rush the heavily fortified French or Italian borders. At the same time, the British did not possess the manpower to attempt an invasion of the imperial heartland and more pressingly, had no response to the powerful fleets prowling around the Baltic from both Poland and the HRE. With both North Africa and the Venetian islands yet to subdue, William and Robert could see no way of waging war against the Germans without severely compromising the rest of the empire and her expansion efforts. The Romans of course, could have invaded and occupied another portion of Russia and perhaps even could have managed to completely control both the Caspian and Black seas'. Still, the presence of both the Sicilians and the Spanish in the heart of the European part of the Empire indicates how weakened the Romans actually were underneath their displays of power and might. Whilst the decline in European power, the Byzantines were in no position to truly pick a fight with the HRE or even Poland on land. With each faction stymied in their desires, a new struggle for influence and power swept over Christendom and beyond.

The Struggle for Mastery in Europe II

For the Royals, their first response to the new balance of power was to ensure the French and the Italian borders were adequately defended. Robert himself took command of the First Legion at last and raced to the Netherlands, where attack from the HRE was most probable, with the Second Legion safeguarding France and the Fourth stepping up their training in preparation for an outbreak in hostilities. Each city on the border was also required to shore up defences by creating a town militia capable of dissuading an invasion army should the Germans attempt a fast attack policy as they did to deadly effect in Poland. This had an interesting effect in Italy, where every militia group in the kingdom signing up to both watch the border regions and eventually attack their ancient rivals in the HRE. Not only did this massively increase the manpower the British could throw around in Italy but it had the added bonus of removing every militant and potentially rebellious Italian from the cities and into the irregular armies under British control. With a common enemy and the destabilising remnants of old Italy away on the front, the Kingdom of Italy came into its own as a valued and peaceful region of the Empire.

The Danish kings had a greater problem. The entirety of Denmark was compromised by the power of German arms alone and coupled with the complete dominance of the HRE and her allied navies in the Baltic Sea, the future of Scandinavia looked bleak unless drastic action was taken. So not only did King Christian revitalise the navy into a true fighting force but also reached out to his oldest friends and allies in the British. Having shown their commitment and everlasting faith in their kingdom by successfully diverting the HRE emperor's attention onto themselves, the British were invited to create a trading city (a city that coincidentally possessed a gigantic port capable of taking a small navy into its docks and a town militia made up entirely of professionally trained volunteers). The British purchased a vast tract of land on the south coast of the Kingdom of Norway (part of the United Kingdom of Scandinavia) and unlike the far off Crimean project, the full trading power of the Empire was flung at the possibility of sovereign trading in the Baltic, with the Netherlands and Flanders regions being particularly supportive and the Scottish lords practically funding the first set of settlers themselves. Though the original proposal called for the city to be named after the Norwegian born Scandinavian king, he himself strongly protested the idea and suggested instead the name Oslo.

The reason for the Scots backing became clear almost at once to the crown. Not only was the Western Mediterranean of great importance to the British (not just for trade but also for dispelling Moor raiding parties) but now the northern seas, what was rapidly becoming known as 'the German ocean' were of vital importance, not just for trading success with Oslo but for the security of Scandinavia and the containment of the HRE. Thus the Royal Navy was reborn as the British Imperial Navy and the admiralty in Scotland were once again required for service. This was the second beginnings of the naval segment of British history.

Meanwhile in the Islamic world things were not going at all well. Jostled by both the weakening but still powerful Venetian faction, the increasingly expansionist Moors and the pitifully weak Turkish kingdom, the Egyptians began to decline even further than before, losing everything recently gained to rebellion and once again shut up tight inside their homeland. The Middle East was fast becoming a land empty of powerful states, with every city of import being ruled by its own king. Unfortunately for the Egyptians, the true power in the region, the Byzantines from their island of Cyprus, began to notice this lack of opposition and prepared numerous invasion plans for the subjugation of their former lands. Desperate for aid, the British were approached by diplomats about an alliance between the Muslims and the Christians. Would this offer have been given to Henry, the closest of the three royals to Egypt, it would have almost certainly been thrown out immediately and perhaps even war would swiftly follow. His time in Africa had left the prince unforgiving towards its inhabitant, particularly Muslims (the majority religion in the area at that time). However, the Egyptians sent their offer to Robert instead and as luck would have it for them, Lord Christopher was with him. The two men were the most moderate of the commanders in the Empire (though it would be a mistake using the lens of history to assume they were anything like the liberal or moderate movements of today) and saw the value and the potential downfalls of such an arrangement. They did however go to William personally and in Oxbridge, agreed to ally with the Muslim nation.

As the year 1078 came to a close, the European world seemed as chaotic as ever, despite the unifying efforts of the major empires into their circles of influence. The Holy Roman Empire with all their vassals stood alone at the top of the powers, with a great naval arm in the Baltic and massive armies sweeping across the vast lands they commanded. The Byzantines, though reduced in Europe still retained Greece, their capital city and the heartland surrounding it plus an ever increasing amount of Asia Minor (from the crushed Turkish kingdom). Russia beckoned to the north and their fleets, though challenged by the still great Venetian armada, were enough to control two seas by themselves and exert some dominance over the Eastern Mediterranean. The Germanic states that made up the heartland of the HRE were also the absolute power in Europe, though surrounded as they were by increasingly hostile kingdoms dimmed their own expansive efforts. Still, even were the empire of the east to fall, the German part of it was a credible threat to the Byzantines and British, and a terrifying one for the Hungarians, the Danish and their own vassals in Eastern Europe. The Moor emirate or more properly, the empire they possessed, was fast becoming the only Muslim power in the world and thus was everywhere: North Africa, the Middle East, Iberia and always constantly biting at the British territories within their ship range. Their only weakness was also a huge one, their territories were huge and split up by other nation's in-between, with the main African expanse cut off from the remnants of a successful jihad in the Middle East by the Venetians (who hated them for pushing them out of the Holy Land) and the Egyptians.

We now return to a British Empire that has greatly increased in its own power but the enemies of said power were greater still than ever before. With a looming civil war and Muslim invasion in Iberia, certain war with the Moors and Venetians and the build-up of military power from all the empires signalling perhaps yet another Winter War, the dreams of reuniting Christendom faded from the minds of William and especially his sons. Now they were focused on defending Europe from whatever horrors were about to be unleashed and quietly and privately praying that they would not be the ones who would be committing them.


	29. The Third Winter War Prt I

**4****th**** January 1079**

It had to happen I suppose. For years my Empire has laid peaceful and quiet, our people happy and prosperous and our security assured by the greatness of mine legions. Yet all thing some to pass. My dreams of Christendom seem so far away and long ago now. How naive was I to believe that in this world of Men that the righteousness of God could prevail purely through my own efforts. No, for of all the peoples that threaten my subjects and my family now are my fellow Christian brothers, at last falling to the easy path of greed and violence rather than salvation and peace.

The peace has been shattered by my own hand and fist. One week ago the Holy Roman Emperor sent a fleet of his ships to blockade the ports at Oslo and by extension threaten the southern reaches of Sweden with naval invasion along with sending an army to the Danish border. His demands were that I leave Scandinavia, that my forces disband and that my city be given to him to protect his imperial interests.

King Christian promptly and justly declared war on the upstart warmonger. If it be a war he wishes, he shall have it soon enough. My men and sons are ready and there shall be nothing the German emperor can do to stop us at least holding back his forces and defending our own lands. Let his armies crash against our defences. We shall see who holds God's favour.

…

**6****th**** January 1079**

**We were ready for the Holy Roman hoards but not for their unexpected allies at the eleventh hour. It seems the kings of Spain have thrown their lot in with the great power in Europe in exchange for assurances of assistance in kicking out the Muslim expanse in Iberia and presumably the destruction of Portugal too.**

**I do not truly begrudge them this. We British have failed to aid them in any meaningful way in their war to reclaim their homelands and yet have received aid from them in the defence of ours. It is a great shame we enter this war as enemies and nt allies but alas, such is war and such is death.**

**My father has…against my sincere advice, risen from his throne in London and taken command of the Fourth Legion, recently completed in Windsor. Together they march for Spanish soil and, I hope, a quick end to that faction's efforts in this war. The Portuguese, those faithful, luckless old friends pf ours stand with us still and it is to them we shall deliver a victory today in Iberia. Any land we conquer south of Spanish lands will be theirs.**

**I meanwhile am well placed to deal with this army threatening the Danish kingdom. His Royal Highness King Christian is raising his levies from Sweden and Norway and shall soon be ready to attack. I do not yet know where. For now, our task is to secure the German border region with both us and Denmark (a vast military complex of land, castle and iron led by the Emperor's own brother-in-law) and deal with the army gathered there.**

…

**18****th**** January 1079**

_The Germans unknowing or not have struck perfectly on time. Just a few hours ago word hit my network's ears that a massive attack on Constantinople has been attempted by jihadist forces. The Byzantines cannot aid us now, nor stop the Polish or Russian reinforcements coming through into the empire's heartlands._

_We are effectively alone in the fight._

…

**8****th**** February 1079**

My son Robert has effectively ceased the forward movement of the Germans for the moment, allowing our attack strategy to come into play before that whole area begins swarming with Polish and Russian armies.

Henry and his ongoing fight with the Moors continues at the worst possible time. Is the whole world against us and our allies? The Winter is far from over in our lands it seems. The Third Legion has reformed and is nearly ready to begin striking back at the Muslim raiders and perhaps finally remove Venetian bankers from Tripoli also.

…

**14****th**** February 1079**

**In one piece of good news the Scandinavians have joined the fight in earnest and have chosen a most excellent target for their war axes: Russia. In a blistering campaign King Christian has succeeded in storming through the old occupied realm of Finland and retaken it for Scandinavia. Now Russia itself lies open for attack and their armies must choose whether to face them in their homeland or fight against us in their liege's realm. **

**I meanwhile have surged forwards and finally brought the fight to my enemies, routing and destroying the first German army sent against me before taking the imperial region that borders Denmark with the gigantic citadel of Hamburg falling to our might. With Scandinavia thus saved from invasion (as well as the Netherlands), they can concentrate on their Russian campaign. I wish them well and good fortune to all!**

…

We are not without friends after all! The Pope has called for a crusade against Zaragoza (a most ironic target for my legion) and yet another legion is being trained in France. This time we have many more Italian recruits than usual. Finally they are willing to be part of our empire and nation. I say to them Welcome! And let every man do his fair share in this great kingdom we shall build together.

I have heard the Second Legion has struck camp and moved into the Holy Roman Empire's domain. Their journey shall be the most fraught with peril for it is in the centre and south of the Germanic states where the great armies and keeps of the Emperor lie. Italian irregular militias are being sent to aid them and defend the French heartlands from attack. We must defend our people as we kill the enemy's.

The twin fortresses of Staufen and Bern unsettle me, positioned as they are on either side of the main road the Legion shall take and so close as they are to both French and Italian lands. If an army blocks the path deeper into the heartlands of the empire, one or both of those fortresses and their defenders must be dealt with. I fear we have only just begun to realise the magnitude of the labours set against us.

…

**20****th**** January 1079**

Zaragoza fell with startling ease and I am cautiously optimistic that the Spaniards will not prove to be such the great power the Emperor wishes them to be. Still, it is good to be back within familiar settings and know we may rest easy tonight. I do not believe we shall allow the region to fall into foreign hands again, so I name it Elysium, to honour the dead, especially absent friends. This is the beginning of our second expansion, I do realise. One that shall take us from merely our rightful rule over our own kingdoms into a true empire of Western Europe and perhaps even Africa one day. My dreams of Rome restored have slept long in the reality of rule but now perhaps they might yet be fulfilled by the grace of God.

The Spanish military centre is fittingly enough within the centre of the peninsula, better to guard and attack against their two enemies both at once. They should not prove any further challenge but stranger things have happened in this world and especially to me.

…

**From Hamburg I can corral the rest of the fight against the German lines myself. Metz has been placed under siege by an Italian irregular army whilst the Second Legion marches onwards into the enemy empire. Another that was defending the now safe northern regions of Flanders has been sent to Frankfurt, the capital of the northern Germanic states. **

**The fight goes well in and these first stages of war, we appear to be succeeding admirably. But let us not forget the size and scale of our adversary. We have yet to fight more than one imperial army and the Holy Roman Empire has yet to even begin to try and fight us. Soon their empire shall be filled with their allies and servants alike, all eager to carry favour and rewards with victories against us. Perhaps my brother, in the intense heat of Africa with a small army at his back fighting a great and powerful Islamic state is far better off than we who must weather the storm in Europe. Things are only going to get harder from hereon in. **

...

* * *

**Recorder TBC's notes:**

The start of The Third Winter War was preceded by the beginning of a vast chain of calamities for the Byzantine Empire. The jihad against Constantinople (which was repulsed at great cost) of which Daniels speaks was merely the first of several attacks against the capital that Roman troops were seemingly unable to stop. The Turks who had long been the underdog in Asia Minor began to aggressively reassert control over the majority of the land, till naught but the straight near Constantinople, the coastal areas of the Black and Caspian seas, the Greek mainland and Cyprus remained in Roman hands. The Middle East is taken back by the Egyptians who begin the process of reintroducing Islamic ways into the majorly Christian cities. At around the same time Robert was crossing the HRE border to attack Hamburg, Jerusalem fell into Egyptian hands. When the European empires eventually emerged from the war, they found a much changed political landscape than the one they had left behind.

Two more things of note began to occur during this period. The first trader ships from the east began reporting a strange 'sickness' of great tenacity that killed all whom caught it. This sickness would in time spread across Asia Minor and destroy all Byzantine counter attacks and many of their armies, allowing the Muslim world a brief respite whilst the plague lasted. Later on, the Venetian trade ships would spread this illness to Europe and mainland Africa, where it would explode into 'the Great Dying' or 'the Black Death'.

The second was perhaps even more cataclysmic to Europe in general. Russian reinforcements to the HRE were trickling through their vast lands but many from the central and eastern regions were vanishing into thin air. Whilst the Russian court fears a great demonic monster spreading through their land, the rest of Europe fights on in the west, ignorant of what is about to occur.


	30. The Third Winter War Prt II

**1****st**** February 1079**

_A great sickness has hit the Empire. Italy has been struck with countless deaths from a mysterious illness from across the seas and now France I fear is becoming susceptible. For all the mass body burnings and many thousands already killed, I hear it is worse for the Holy Roman Empire and cataclysmically awful out East._

_The Byzantines have been devastated by the plague. Both their emperor and his court lies dead and cold, the people are dying in the streets and even the Muslim invaders are all dead from God's hand. _

_…__Constantinople fell two days ago. No celebratory tract from the Jihadists can be determined however, they too are dead from the sickness, this plague upon the world. With the fall of our great ally in the east and the deaths of so many Christians in Asia and in Russia, the East is cold and devoid of the warmth of Christian purity. I fear the same fate may be coming for Poland and, god forbid any nearer, the German kingdoms we fight against currently. In such a short time, the Roman Empire at last seems to be breathing its final breaths, a fate both tragic and six months ago would be seen to be unbelievable._

_These are dark days indeed._

…

**3****rd**** February 1079**

**Taking advantage of the plague-ridden nature of Italia, the emperor struck down into the northern cities. Unfortunately we have not been able to send a legion to defend the Italian kingdom though I did personally promise in Milan to have one sent as soon as it was possible. As we also sent most of the Italian irregular armies to the French border to defend the main part of the Empire our defences in Italy have been…lacklustre for weeks. There is little they can do to stop the rampaging armies and I am too far away to intervene. I have however ordered all available troops to march south with due haste (which in practice means the irregulars laying siege to Metz and the Second Legion, both of which will now have to fight through Bern and whatever armies are around that region before piercing the border). Both armies have made good progress and in fact destroyed one army already close to Bern, but my last report had them surrounded by both two armies and with nowhere to go to, trapped as they are between Metz, Staufen and Bern. I have faith in my men however.**

**In better news, Hamburg fell to my First Legion and I can now direct the campaign properly from the gigantic military complex the emperor has built here. With the threat to Denmark now dealt with, both one of our campaign goals is accomplished and the Scandinavians can concentrate on fighting in Russia now. I am renaming the citadel Arkham and shall recommend keeping it intact rather than demilitarising it. There are many useful things here for a war (and even just to keep watch over our Danish friends).**

…

**7****th**** February 1079**

**Venice has fallen.**

...

**10****th**** February 1079**

**The Second Legion has a new commander. A young cavalry squire earned his spurs by taking control of the Legion whilst fighting against a large imperial army. Richard Audley took the initiative and showed great resolve and cunning in winning the battle when his commander died in a failed charge. Both the irregular army and the Second Legion are now unopposed on their way to Bern and the Italian border. Too late to save sweet Venice though… **

**The city fell to a gargantuan effort headed by the Imperial Prince Theodericus. Daniels tells me a massacre shortly followed and that even his agents are being cast from the city. This is a disaster. The Great Dying is spreading across the land, our forces fail in the defence of our own citizenry and Italy is completely open to further attacks, tens of thousands of HRE troops are swarming into the heartlands by the hour and worse still, in the Far East our Roman friends and idols are dying. The Roman Empire is dying and so too does our dream of unified Christendom. Look at this world. Everyone is dying and dying and fighting to die under our commands. **

**Though the Polish are beginning to arrive in earnest, strangely neither we nor the Danish have seen or heard anything from the Russian kingdom. Have they abandoned Europe to its fate? What occupies them more than this total war?**

…

**28****th**** February 1079**

_Frankfurt fell to our blades at the hands of the Italian irregular forces but Venice remains in enemy hands despite the best efforts of rebel groups in the area and several patriotic militias being formed by the other main Italian cities to remove the German menace from their kingdom. _

_The size and scale of Frankfurt has to be seen to be believed. Whilst Rome and the other great Roman cities are large and beautiful, this is a truly colossal settlement. Only now are we, even I whom had access to the full numbers of the HRE forces, beginning to understand the power level at which we now fight against. And yet the cities of the east, Jerusalem, Cyprus and the Byzantine major cities, they are yet still greater…good lord. How on earth are we to compete with such great empires? What are we but grains of sand in the stories of the Mankind story? _

_Still, the rebellious nature of the citizenry we expected has not occurred. Given the already fragmented structure of the HRE, the local rulers of kingdoms, cities etc. are more than used to being bested, forced under a new regime or watch their old masters die bitter deaths. This is hardly a comfort for us yet but I live in hope that in all but the emperor's own lands that we might find such apathy for the HRE cause. _

_I should not speak of this…even here. Such things are only for the Emperor's ears but…there is something out there. Something beyond the cold reaches of Russia, something that is eating their men and burning their villages. I only hear whispers. Whispers of beings of terror and shadow. Those that can ride wicked beasts and wield death with magical proportions. I do not know what is real and what is not. All we know of these whispers are that there is a greater evil in the world still, biting at the edges of our knowledge, waiting and plotting for us to destroy ourselves (perhaps?). I hear only whispers._

_Tales of the Mongol._


	31. The Third Winter War Prt III

**5****th**** March 1079**

A seaborne invasion of the Mediterranean isles is attempted by the Spanish and repulsed. Their offensive against us must cease and thus I begin plans to attack Toledo, their central fortress and royal residence. I have heard little from Robert or Samuel so I assume them to be both hard at work and (knowing them) surrounded by the enemy. Such is the way of things and I pray nightly for God to bring both they and my people through. I did ensure France would be properly protected by placing the irregulars on the border. Thankfully this seems to have worked so far.

The Holy Father has sent a chit of both money and advice that the Spanish King Aries has been excommunicated for his treachery. This news is good indeed, for I am loath to shed the blood of fellow Christians.

All appears to be going well.

…

**Arkham has been surrounded and under siege for nearly a week now. More and more reinforcements pour into the province every day and soon I will doubt my ability to protect our position any further if more come. All I know of the Venice situation is that the Italian were finally becoming ready to make their move before we were cut off. I hope the succeeded. **

**We have already repulsed and severely crippled three armies but more are coming. The emperor has yet to make an appearance but he surly wishes this place back for he throws his empire's strength fully at it. He had also begun recalling smaller groups that were moving around the French border back into the fray, either towards Metz or towards me.**

**I have heard little from my father and thus I assume he is preparing an invasion into the centre of Spain. The royal army King Aries possesses is not of great numbers but it is of great quality, with troops experienced in fighting Normans from the Sicilian war bringing back both their expertise and equipment stolen from that black stain of Europe, they must surely be formidable. I worry for my father often. He approaches 55 and has not yet slowed down nor recognised his age. Henry is concerned also, I can see it in his face, not that we have seen much of him lately. Another curse of having such far flung fights with various enemies of the realm. The huge miscalculation of the irregular armies and the lack of concern (surely not forgetfulness?) for his Italian subjects is troubling. **

**Bah! I shall say no ill of mine own kin. He is the greatest leader of Men since biblical times and perhaps shall yet be allowed to complete his task of saving us all from sin and division amongst men of the cross. I hope so.**

…

**17****th**** March 1079**

**We are free of the threat of the emperor for now. His armies lie dead and I am free to direct the other parts of the campaign. **

**Bern has been taken by the irregulars and the Second Legion despite heavy losses for the latter. They are being invalid out to Windsor to recuperate and resupply on both men and equipment. The irregulars shall hold the fort at Bern, ensuring half the German-Italian border is secure at least.**

**Now Metz and Staufen are connected by a very small land corridor into the rest of HRE lands. They are well defended places and contain two armies (at least. Daniels has been trapped here too so intelligence is patchy). If we close the circle around them, they shall have to fight us, either into France via Metz or to break out back to their emperor's lands. Neither of those is a good option and with only the tired Bern irregular army stationed near there, that part of the land is precarious for both sides.**

**Prince Theodericus was beaten in the field and forced to retreat by the irregular 'patriot' army of the Italians. Wounded, not in body but pride, he empties Innsbruck (the remaining castle he possesses on the Italian border) and rides to Venice once again. This cannot end well for us, surely? **

…

**25****th**** March 1079**

Fantastic! The Spaniard comes to face me at last! Now we shall test the mettle of this king.

Not that I do not desire their blood on my blade but fighting the entire royal army when I have no idea of what reinforcements I would have available from France would be profoundly foolish. Yes, they remain the only true army Aries commands yet that means avoiding them delivers his head to my wall all the faster.

I have sent out a diversionary force of militia men from Elysium. They are men of the country who know it well. They will attract the attention of the army and then lead them on a merry chase before losing them. In that time I shall use the direct main road to Toledo unopposed to destroy the Spanish monarchy at the source.

…

**1****st**** April 1079**

_The plague is getting worse and has currently killed hundreds of thousands of people across Europe and more in Asia. The Home Kingdoms have finally been hit by this disease, with the port cities and London being particularly affected. My suspicions about the trade ships bringing the disease seems to be gaining weight. I must research this further but I hear Lord Christopher has already begun quarantining docks, burning bodies and searching ships carefully. Hopefully this should be enough. It seems our investments in public health services and sanitation have paid off, has almost no casualties from other cities, towns and villages have been so afflicted. _

_Staufen has fallen to the Italians and I am becoming more and more impressed by the irregular volunteers. Fighting for their homes and families have made these men fight more effectively and cohesively. This is something we must bear in mind. We must make it so everyone in our legions has a personal stake in the safety of the Empire. I shall speak to the Emperor when he returns from the Spanish campaign._

_As I was saying, Staufen has fallen and thus the net has shut tight on the Metz armies. Now all they can do is sit and wait for relief or fight to break out. As Metz is so close to the French border, I am uneasy with the latter possibility. I am sure Robert Prince Robert has a plan. Unfortunately the 'Patriot' army for the recapture of Venice failed in its first attempt but not before crushing another army and badly embarrassing Prince Theodericus. The finest imperial troops struggled to defeat a few farmers and builders. This surely is a sign of the beginning of the end for the HRE._

_History will tell, shall it not?_

…

**11****th**** April 1079**

I avoided the Royal Spanish Army on the road to Toledo and quickly laid siege and captured the unsuspecting castle. Aries, a man three decades and a half younger than myself, falls to my blade and the day is mine.

Only the north west of Iberia remains theirs now and of course the city in Byzantine territory where their new king, the prince who did not wish to return home, surely shall not aid his dying kingdom in the west. That would be the height of foolishness. What commander would presume to fight for a kingdom he has only the barest claims to?

I have placed Madrid, a small town in the central portion of Spain, as the main headquarters for administration for as long as the occupation continues. Or shall it? I have no real desire or obligation to give this land to the Portuguese and I certainly can't bear the thought of my men's sacrifice being in vain once again if Iberia continues to be unstable between the Moors and the new rulers of this region. I must think upon this, but I believe our allies will understand.

…

**14****th**** April 1079**

**We have at last received a missive from the Emperor, my father. Spain is falling underneath his boots as easily as all his other conquests. My thoughts on his treatment of our allies…ah, well, it shall come to nought I expect. The killing of Aries though bothers me. Such a young ruler doing what was best for his country and his faith being so punished by my father worries me about the mercy that is slowly draining from his mind. Did not our own Lord desire peace, especially among his own followers?**

**The Holy Father's excommunication has been lifted with Aries' death, thus we must tread carefully from herein. I have no desire to shed fellow Christian blood. Surely my father will seek peace terms now the threat of Spain is a thing of the past. **

…

**16****th**** April 1079**

**Metz attempted a breakout attempt a few hours ago that was repelled smartly. Daniels tells me of five full strength armies the enemy has under their command (that we know of). The Spanish might be done but the Polish have yet to fight us and so are at full strength still. And as long as the Royal Spanish Army is free and loose, there shall be no peace in Iberia, yet destroying it guarantees the destabilisation and invasion of the region by the Moors once we leave. **

**Venice is still clung onto by the German Prince but we are regaining ground. Two of our great generals, the twins Toby and Rupert Heaven who gave us the Mediterranean isles we used in the Sicilian campaign (how long ago it seems when we and all of Europe were united against their evil!), have brought mercenaries from France and Bern (some German states we have occupied are being more cooperative than others) to aid our Italian subjects. I fully expect now the agents of Daniels are within the walls of Venice once again that the city shall fall and Theodericus shall be dead within the week.**

…

**2****nd**** May 1079**

_The prince lies dead and the Italian campaign closes with the spectacular capture of Venice by the Heaven brothers and the Patriot army of the Italians. The war seems to be winding down slightly now. Spain has been subdued aside from their main army, Italy is secure and safe and another army sent against Arkham has been halted and destroyed by Robert. _

_With Denmark secure and free Scandinavia has asked to be let out of the war. King Christian faces trouble at home with his growingly unpopular war in Russia. Prince Robert in the Emperor's name agreed and wished him the best. Thus the war with Russia and Poland grows quiet too. There is only the fight amongst the German states, many of which were or are sympathetic to us rather than their emperor, who landed them in another war after calling all their troops away to win his own personal empire in Poland and Russia. The plague makes everyone sufferers and if we do not stop this war soon Central Europe will become as barren as Asia currently is. _

_Still, this just means he is more determined to save the armies in Metz and reinforce the front so that he can regain his authority and either get the captured regions back or at least have a strong bargaining tool to use against us. Thus my agents say he looks for our weakspot and unfortunately, there is a large and obvious one: Frankfurt. The only major city in our lines, breaking through here requires dealing with one irregular army and then quickly onto Metz and either reinforce or run from there._

_We have nothing in the area to deal with that because Arkham has fallen under siege with the rest of the remaining imperial armies. I hope the irregulars surprise me again._

…

**13****th**** May 1079**

**A colossal tidal and lightning storm has hit the Channel and the Baltic. Many trade ships are lost, countless thousands of items and coins are lost and the smaller ports on the coasts have been severely damaged. This of course, was only a sign of worse things to come…again.**

**The Kingdom of Portugal did not take to my father's diplomatic announcement very well. In fact they have decided to take their rightful territory by force, attacking Elysium and thus threatening to cut off the Fourth Legion deep within Iberia. The fact that the Emperor is also with them makes this affair a potentially tragic one. I am quite stunned by it all. The surprise bloodthirstiness of the long repressed Portuguese, their betrayal of we, their allies (perhaps our inaction to do with Iberia has caused this. If so I only have myself to blame) and the foolish behaviours of my father. **

**They are outnumbered. Out of position. Short on supplies and completely surrounded by enemies. Of course there is no way we can abandon our men or our leader to their fates so the Fifth Legion, which has been trained by the recuperating Second Legion in Windsor for some time now, marches south to save their counterparts in the Fourth Legion.**

**What with the war and the constant fighting, only the Third Legion in Africa now is in any kind of good shape (though the Fifth Legion is effectively ready, they just have not finished getting the new armour installed to their steeds). I have heard little from Henry and I suspect he has been extremely busy, perhaps more than any of us, for we have all effectively abandoned Africa to just his own resources for now. When this war is over, perhaps we shall see exactly what has been going on with my younger brother.**

**I wish him safety and peace.**

* * *

**Recorder TBC's Notes:**

The Third Winter War (as an aside, many historians argue on the naming conventions of wars at this time. Given how close the Winter Wars were to each other, the First and Second are often paired together, or even all grouped with the Sicilian Crusade and the French Civil War as one large scale European conflict. Interestingly the Iberian Civil War is rarely grouped with these, even though it began and continued through all f these wars.) continued to be a major cause of death in Europe and it certainly made the plague easier to infect the Germanic states and Italy, and through both of those, France and the rest of Western Europe.

Italian irregular successes were noted and duly honoured by the British after the end of the war and created a longstanding legend in the British forces that Italians could always be relied on in a pinch. The successful cooperation between the Heaven brothers (an extremely significant pair of generals to British history) and the Patriot Italian army created a sense of camaraderie between the military and the Italian militias, most of whom joined and served faithfully in the Imperial Legions later on in life.

Scandinavia's domestic problems led to no true military action against the Portuguese but they did break off diplomatic contact and no one was left in any doubt that the British and they were still brothers in war. The collapse of many other British alliances was due to both neglect and arrogance on the British side. The two factions in Iberia were never aided for it was feared one could easily destroy the other with the Empire's help. The refusal to simply deal with the Moors in the south even though they had been at war with the Muslims for years and the blocking of calls for crusade into Iberia from the Vatican led to resentment and anger at the uncaring power. William was proven to be out of touch when he refused to grant any land to the embittered Portuguese. His failures grew as he aged though his continued friendship with King Christian, the Egyptians and especially the Vatican shows he wasn't completely incapable of diplomacy. Robert and Henry took greater command over foreign policy and Lord Christopher and the other members of the Privy Council took greater responsibility for domestic policy, especially in the Home Kingdoms.

At this stage of the war, a new factor came into play that completely changed both the ways of war and the face of Europe. It was perhaps the single most dangerous and powerful force to exist for at least the entirety of that century. It would take the formation of the First Fleet and the assimilation of cannon into naval warfare to make a military presence capable of projecting as much power and control as the people of Mongolia and the hordes of warriors they unleashed upon the weakened eastern countries of Europe.


	32. The Third Winter War Prt IV

**29****th**** May 1079**

_Lord, the world is ending._

_The King has become ensnared in the brutal civil war of Iberia, the Prince Henry is trapped in Africa against an impossible opponent and Robert has to fight for this entire empire by himself. The fruits of our years of labours and the riches and the wealth of this great empire have been destroyed, spent and lost against the unrelenting, nightmarish enemy from the dark places in Europe. _

_But that is not what has my pen shaking in my hand this hour, for such things are the ways of the great and powerful and many histories of kingdoms have ended this way. No, the fear that grips us now is the knowledge that there is a greater evil beyond Europe rapidly coming towards us. _

_Russian absences in the HRE were excused by the Germanic states themselves as being far away but on their way or simply lost in that vast wilderness…but no. They had been killed, slaughtered to a man by the barbarian demons from the Steppes. Immune or seemingly unaffected to the Plague that brings us low, they swept into Russian lands and have carved the kingdom in half from the Black Sea (the coast just west of the Crimea) to the Baltic. Cut in half and away from Europe, the Russian kingdom is once again seemingly doomed and almost certainly going to be either dominated once more or destroyed utterly. _

_They also know how to sail. They have destroyed both the Turkish and the Roman fleets (the last true piece of the latter's military) and captured Constantinople, ending all hope for a Roman restoration. They appear as men, Muslims in fact, but their ferocity and tenacity and pure success frightens me and their endless drive for more cannot end well for us. No one in Europe is capable of facing them currently; the HRE is completely blind to all but pushing us out of their heartlands, pulling every unit away from their shrinking empire towards one front in order to annihilate us (a strate3gy that is slowly working) and we ourselves are being ground down and bleed dry by the two and occasional three fronts of the war. _

_The HRE is doomed. The bisection of Russia has shown the weakness of their rulers and military, though frankly quite unfair to me, as they cannot hope to fight multiple fronts as we have. The Polish and Russian empire disintegrates around their Emperor's ears whilst the heartlands themselves are becoming more and more mutinous to this awful conflict. Though their military is safely far away, that in fact is their downfall too. Like us, they diverted all troops away from one area to defend more important places but on a far larger scale. Eastern Europe has been abandoned to the Mongols and their blades and bows. I pray they remain there and that the Turk or perhaps we and the HRE together can combine arms and face them off our lands. Otherwise I can see Rome aflame again, France filled with the dead in numbers greater than even the Black Death and the Home Kingdoms enslaved to the eastern devils. _

…

**2****nd**** June 1079**

**The Mongolian leader (king? Warlord? Are these like the Hun and the Vandal and the Goth and the Briton tribes of old? Lord preserve us if this be true!) has forced the Polish to yield after a pitiful show of battle and a mewling infant of a king forced into vassalage. The HRE have lost their empire it seems. Russia in a surprise twist, has been spared and freed from the German emperor, becoming the Mongol ally and, I suspect, stooge for future wars and affairs. As this effectively ceases the river of reinforcements the emperor possesses this is a blessing yet also a judgement. As before this costly war, a great power has taken over the east with little to no effort and this time, there is no Roman empire to check them in the east, no great alliance in the west capable of standing firm against them. **

**The bad news continues in the current war. I should not, I think, occupy the thoughts of my mind to future wars when the current one goes so badly for all. Our irregulars failed to take Metz and that holdout remains intact. The Heaven brothers have managed to lay siege to Innsbruck, the last stronghold on the Italian border in the Alps and I have confidence Italy shall see no more war. They have done enough I think. **

**My father's communication with us has been cut as the Portuguese have turned against us but Daniels' spies have taken to the streets of each large city in Iberia. Toledo has, for some reason, been abandoned by the Fourth Legion and retaken by the Spanish Royal Army. Elysium has been threatened and by this time probably has been placed under siege by the Portuguese Royal Army and their King. That campaign is turning into a disaster of large proportions. I have no idea, truly, what my father intends to do. Has the madness of my brother claimed him as well? How could God's greatest servant be brought into Satan's grip?**

**But perhaps I do not have the full story. Yes, I believe he must have a plan. He always did.**

…

**13****th**** June 1079**

My scouts report that Elysium has fallen to the Portuguese. Bah! They shall pay for this outrage! I shall invade Portugal itself, cleanse that wretched kingdom with fire and brimstone till their people stop the ceaseless violence of this peninsula and grow more reasonable to my views. This is a punishment too of sorts yes, but it comes from the righteous to the deserving thus I find little fault with it. How dare they commit the atrocities performed in Elysium! The entire city, the elders, the children, the animals in their stalls, all have been put to the sword.

What on God's earth has been happening and going on in this civil war to make people so cruel? What have the Spanish done? What have those Moor invaders been teaching these once good Christians?

The Portuguese and their king are away in the north east in their castle on the French border…or now in Elysium drinking the blood of my people. Their own lands are undefended and their people will pay sorely for this. I shall wipe them clean from this place and instead construct a pure place of peace. Iberia has seen its last war for a long time. This ends here.

I shall end it!

…

**1****st**** August 1079**

**By God but are these Germans putting up a fight worthy of Achilles and Diomedes combined! A colossal counter attack has occurred with all their remaining armies being flung at us, placing Staufen, Arkham, Frankfurt and Milan under siege. Yes Milan, or so I fear. They passed the Alpine passes late yesterday evening and though the city guard is alerted through the same scouts we were I fear they shall not be enough. It never seems to be enough. Nothing stops these fiends. I respect their ability, though I hate them with all the blood in my body and fire in my heart. **

**The Plague has slowed in its taking of life. Perhaps we have seen the worst peak of it? I dare to dream it is so. Still in the Germanic states the great dying continues and northern France is still suffering particularly hard. **

**The world contuse to bring brief glimpses of hope before pitching us into more violence, more bodies, more war more death. Blood, blood, blood, the battles contuse and I cannot stop it and cannot see an end to it. With Sicily the goal was clear and our cause was just. We were friends and we were great together, for one brief shining moment. Now where are we? Who is correct? Am I? Stopping encroachment on Denmark seemed just yet their own people hate King Christian deeply and have we not done the same to North Italy? What is happening? We cannot I see clearly anymore? Why cannot my father see? Why is the world suddenly so dark and bleak?**

**What can I do?**

…

**26****th**** August 1079**

_The counter attacks have, for the most part, been pushed back. Italy has once again saved itself with the incredible courage of its city guards and commanders. Again we see the value of guards protecting their own homes and I must endeavour to promote these attitudes across the Empire. _

_A strange and possibly alarming discovery was made and quickly seized by my agents. Black powder was found within barrels amongst the HRE army. A black powder that is far more refined and deadly than the stuff our scholars are studying in Oxford (in deepest secrecy I can assure you). Where has this mixture come from? Who has this secret I believed to be ours? Is this Rufus again? Is my network not as great a force as I imagined? It cannot have come from Europe-that is certain…then perhaps the Africans know more, for there are old tomes and secrets there, plus more trade with the wider worlds going on than here. I must inform my prince of this matter and hopefully he can find out more. _

_Frankfurt has also been defended admirably. The two captains of the guards at Milan and Frankfurt have be ennobled for these achievements. Richard of Oxford and Harold of Cambridge (Milan and Frankfurt captain's respectively) shall be fine additions to the ranks and part of a growing number of people being brought up in the world for their merits. Perhaps a benefit for our Empire after all, that which Numerius and Gaius also desired, a true meritocracy to run a great land of united people._

_Perhaps the day shall come when Europe shall be free and at peace under Christ and the Emperor. _

…

**28****th**** August 1079**

I have salted Portugal's earth, burned the fields, killed the people, wiped the towns from existence and now I come to Lisbon. The sacking of this unholy place shall end the falling standards in this place and the death of their cowardly prince shall perhaps shock his father back into God's embrace.

So it shall be, so I say.

…

**God damn the emperor! Daniels has been deceived and we shall surely pay the price of this deception. We have BARELY scratched the military of their empire. Those armies attacking us presently are the remains of the forces we broke in our first attacks on the country but everything else is still around and unchallenged. **

**I suppose this makes some degree of sense. We have focused on population and military centres, not the actual imperial armies themselves. Now we know they have enough troops to flood what few bits we have taken and probably defend themselves from the Mongols, I have decided to take the bitter medicine to try and make peace with the German people. I have no desire to fight this war further and if this continues, all our armies and most of theirs will be destroyed and then the Mongols will take us all. So I sent out my diplomats at first light today...**

**I don't know whether to fight anymore and thus I do not wish to. Fighting should be natural as the breeze and my wife and sons' embraces. I have no stomach for pointless butchery and slaughter of my fellow Christians, especially as doing so will hurt us too in the long run. I must attend to my people now. Our empire. It is our responsibility to protect it, to maintain it. Time will come for dealing with aggression from other powers. The HRE have learnt their lesson and hopefully, can be wise enough now to at least lay down their arms against us to turn towards the greater threat. The siege of Innsbruck will continue however, I want my borders as secure as possible and our position diplomatically to be unassailable to hide how weak we are actually.**

…

**1****st**** September 1079**

**The news grows worse and worse…**

**Our pope is dead and the three main candidates for his replacement are foreigners. Worse, they are the wrong kind of foreigner, a German, a Pole and a Hungarian. Obviously the emperor cannot have a citizen of his country in the Vatican ****_now_****, we have had no real diplomatic contact with Hungary for years and Poland…**

**Well, though they are still under the thumb of another, that other is not the Holy Roman Empire and we do not know yet (for certain) that the Mongols wish for war between us. Also the election may make the Polish more assertive and independent, and even if not, it makes the Mongols more inclined to work within the systems of power we already have rather than destroying it for their own. Still, the thought of a stooge on the Holy See to any but the Almighty fills me with disgust. I see no alternative however. My father never told me diplomacy and intrigue was so difficult…**

**Perhaps this situation is not completely unsalvageable. The HRE economy has plummeted finally, according to my sources. We are the economic power again in Europe and this pleases me. It makes the approaching talks more likely to succeed if the emperor's coffers are empty and his people (those that remain on the mortal plain that is) surely angry at the war and the deaths and the lack of food in their villages and towns. With their treasury empty and their population barren and decimated by plague, the Germanic states are becoming more inclined to talk with us individually, as they used to do before this new line of strong emperors. Some have even gifted us 'mercenaries' to fight alongside our own troops. I will remember this when the peace comes.**

**Still, Arkham and Staufen remain under siege and Innsbruck's defenders have been aided by a compilation of various remnant forces (the German command is still trying to mask their numbers it seems. Fiendish dogs!). Metallic bound barrels and various large cylinders of iron have been found amongst more of the imperial armies and we have finally found what they are used for. They fire large chunks of metal and brimstone at high speed, into walls and men. The effect is the same: utter destruction. Samuel must look into this further. We cannot allow such a weapon t remain either in use against us or out of our own armouries for long. Though the old 'invincible' Scipii built walls of various cities and citadels have lived up to their names (thus our new walls based off their designs should be too and more, they are not as old of course), this new development could be of use against others who have no way of building the walls we can…and perhaps on the seas as well? I shall put Lord Christopher and the scholars and the Admiralty and the Royal armoury and whomever needs be used to find everything we can about this. **

**In a bitter attempt at humour by the poisoned snake himself, the kingdoms that began all these wars are being ignored by everyone now. The Romans are near gone from the world, the HRE turn away from the east and we were never truly involved in the first place…but now Poland and Russia fall under the sway of another power that finds the rest of the world facing away from it and already weak and at war. Scandinavia is at war with itself and King Christian struggles to keep a unified army and navy together. The Baltic is compromised. Finland is in open rebellion. Only Norway remains relatively stable as the local lords collates naturally around our protective aura. **

**As for ourselves…if only we had one enemy to focus on, we would do better I believe. By the grace of God we are the most successful military power on earth and yet we fight war on opposite sides of the empire and we cannot abandon one for the other. To do so requires either abandoning our allies and potentially Italy or our Emperor and my father. Hopefully I can win anyway but I doubt my father himself could, at the height of his powers, win a war like this. As it is, he is making the situation worse, far away and out of reach. **

**Safety and peace go to my brother Henry. He may be the only one left alive by the end of all this. **

…

**14****th**** September 1079**

**Forgive me Samuel but this account may be more…enraged than I would like. **

**Innsbruck has been taken and Italy has been secured.**

**The Metz troops have struck out at the worst place we'd feared them go, Orleans.**

**…**

**The Pope Orain has worked out fairly well actually. The HRE have been banished from the faith again and thus we have more power at the negotiations. Of course…we may be placed under a similar situation soon…**

**…****my father has gone mad.**

**My Emperor has invaded, burned, pillaged, raped and looted Portugal, a jewel of Christendom. Lisbon has been sacked repeatedly and its prince beheaded and disembowelled. The Portuguese are incensed. The Pope is incensed. I am ashamed. **

**The Spanish are silent now. I have sent terms to them and they have agreed wholeheartedly. There shall be no war again between we peoples. The Fifth Legion, which arrived with the 'terms', smoothed things over and have ensured a peaceful resolution. Emperor William and the Fourth Legion have been recalled to Windsor for resupply and reconstruction…and I have no idea what to do with my father once he arrives back in our lands.**

**The Pope has declared a truce between we and the Portuguese and woe betide any faction whom dares cross that line today (not just for fear of God, we and the Papacy have built a Papal force larger than any Royal Army in Christendom and dwarfed only by our own legions and the imperial armies). **

**Iberia is being cleansed I think of war for now between Christians but the Fifth legion is heading for Moorish lands to purge the Muslim filth from Europe and perhaps end this vicious cycle of war. I must send word to Henry that-**

**…**

**I enclose hereafter a missive I received from mine brother a few moments ago.**

_To Robert, Prince of England, Duke of Normandy, Heir to the Empire of the British._

_Brother,_

_I have heard little from you or our Emperor Father as of late. Still, I trust your fight against the Spaniard and the German goes well. _

_I write for I ride. The Venetians finally stand before me, weak compared to my Legion. Tripoli and then the rest of their large and wealthy colony here in Africa shall be ours. I shall connect us to the Egyptians and then turn towards the Moors themselves. _

_You would not believe the impudence of the Muslim brethren. They say the great city has fallen and that the Roman Emperor lies dead on a pike! What nonsense they speak of! I compose plans enclosed that will allow us to expand our African holdings into the Eastern Seas and we shall take Crete, Rhodes and the other Venetian islands to secure our trade routes here. Perhaps even you can communicate with Constantinople and receive support for us from Cyprus? Surely the Romans would love a chance to remove those upstart and weak Turks once and for all? Retaking the Holy land may be possible within our lifetimes with such might aid!_

_Fortune and glory come to you brother, _

_Henry, Prince of Wales, Duke of Edinburgh, Dublin and New Carthage. _

**My brother mocks what he does not know of yet I am pleased with his confidence in driving out the Venetians and expanding the Empire. Hah! How strange is it to hear of the possibility of a quick victory and a clear reward? Europe is far murkier and darker than those sands, shifty though they may appear. Still…f he plans to fight the Moors, it works to our advantage and their detriment in Iberia also. Perhaps we can match the Muslim power even as we end the fight with our Christian brothers. I hope so.**

…

**15****th**** September 1079**

**German aid has allowed Frankfurt to remain free of the emperor's control and I think that their help shall allow us to be more aggressive in our attacks from now on. **

**In greater news, Scandinavia has been somewhat subdued by King Christian and they have restarted the war in the Baltic by sinking the German imperial fleet. This great victory guarantees the safety of their kingdom and allows them strike along the coasts as they see fit. Most excellent news for all of us. **

**A disastrous and embarrassing move into France has shown up the Portuguese army for being pathetically weak even with their so-called 'elite' troops struggling to defeat a collection of peasant farmers and town militias thrown in their path. A majority of their forces including the royal army and their king coalesce around Elysium and await…something. We do not know what. The Fifth Legion has turned back to the Moors and our true enemy. We shall march along the coast and take their castles before removing them from their strongholds in the south around the Pillar of Hercules. **

**I sent my encouragements to Henry and everything that has happened this fateful year along with them. I also ordered a new African Legion for the sole purpose of conquering Moorish Africa whilst the Third Legion shall take to the sea when Tripoli falls and take the rest of the Venetian islands. **

**Though many things have changed, still some things stay the same. My brother is still the young man I remember and shall do well without sick Europe on his back. My Empire is, despite all that has happened to her, a beauty and a great thing to behold. Scandinavia stands with us and the Italians are beginning to as well. Though the old ways fall…Roman might and my father's strength cannot last forever. Tis the way of things. I believe God still has a purpose for us and will guide us in our time of need. Christendom can yet be saved and the British will yet unite Europe!**

* * *

**Recorder TBC's Notes:**

William's first true defeat, the utter disaster of Iberia, began the beginning of the first age of the British Empire. The time of deep religious connection and self-righteous belief in their mission was coming to an end whilst the confidence in the people and arms of the Empire grew to eclipse the confidence in the power of the Papacy, which had and continued to be held tightly on leash by the Emperor and his command.

The weakening of Europe as a whole contrasts adversely with the rise in the Muslim kingdoms in Africa and Asia. The Turks secured and dominated Asia Minor at last, Egypt has reclaimed the Middle East and their old possessions of yesteryear and the Moors had expanded to eclipse every power in Iberia and every power in Africa. Western North Africa is theirs and should they wish it, New Carthage and the rest of Africa could potentially have been taken by them too. Their strength would only be challenged eventually by the British, not the native or even long settled powers in Iberia or Africa, and thus those inhabitants lost out on what was to come.

The Mongol Empire continued to expand, taking the Baltic Sea by force. The Scandinavian Fleet shrank back before their might and they were not challenged in those waters until both the eventual backlash against them by Europeans and the introduction of cannon-based weaponry to British ships.

The discovery of refined gunpowder and cannons from the HRE (provided by Moor traders) set the British onto their path of true naval and eventually global domination. Once Lord Christopher's scholars figured out the uses and faults of the gun and the cannon, the British changed the face of warfare in Europe and began to completely dominate where before they merely led.

William's 'madness' could be one of many things. Rufus' condition might have been hereditary, he might have been suffering from some form of PTSD or other mental condition. It could also be that the Emperor had simply changed his views on the world and his place in it after decades of success and 'God-given' rights to rule. This behaviour however had extreme and long lasting consequences for himself and his Empire. Robert's troubles had, unfortunately for him, only just begun.


	33. The Third Winter War Prt V

**26****th**** September 1079**

Valencia has fallen! The African prince fell before my armies and many sword flashed as his body was hewn apart. Iberia is once again open to us and this time, we shall take it all. From this castle on the coast, the Fifth Legion shall slowly build and lash out against the rest of the peninsula.

My boy Henry has removed the Venetians from Africa and claimed a massive section of land. I cannot believe the extent to which he has claimed. Myself and Robert struggle to take bits and pieces of the old empire and he has managed to take everything up to the Egyptian border! God has finally decided to deliver us from our fates it seems.

…

_Father, _

_The African Legion is nearly completed. They do bear lighter arms and armour than our European brethren, as befits the heat of the African Sun. An interesting development occurred of which you might find amusing. The Corsicans and other isles raided by Muslims have banded together and sent an offering of an irregular army that has set sail for North Africa! Their help shall be greatly appreciated. _

_I also have information about these 'cannons' we have been fighting. They are unwieldy and difficult to aim. They explode often and are useless in the rain. On land, these things are pointless and dangerous. Do not be concerned by them here. Still, they could work as has been suggested, on the seas. If we can stop them setting alight to everything that is._

_How fares my brother and prince? Surely he feels the exhaustion I do in fighting alone against a foe powerful and wild, though of course those Christian warriors are at least bound by some common decency. I worry still however. The German emperor is powerful and I fear for all our hides should he himself march against us._

_In faith and trust,_

_Henry, Prince of Wales, Duke of Edinburgh, Dublin and New Carthage. The Lord of Africa._

…

**The ships are ready and are being tested. With this firepower we can blow straight through the Imperial and potentially the Mongol fleets. **

**This latest technology is of course fascinating, especially I imagine to the future rulers I write to. What wonders do you live with in your age? How great is your power?**

**For the present, the Scandinavians have returned to the fight. The seamen of the north sailed past Stettin and assaulted Thorn Castle. The east of the HRE shall be felled by their axes whilst we furiously defend against their armies in the west. Unfortunately their kingdom was divided and fighting amongst themselves, thus limiting their capability. However, I have managed to solve this problem myself.**

**I have been away from the front as of late…convincing the problematic Holy Father to accept our position of…respect amongst nations. A crusade against Kraków, the recently conquered former Polish lands that make up the eastern edge of the HRE is underway. Of course, this only aids our cause and I am thankful the Pope was able to see the light. King Christian has united his people behind the cause of the cross and we have a true fighting partner again.**

**On our own fronts Harold of Cambridge has destroyed another imperial army at Nuremburg, the first battle within the core of the cities of the Germans. We are starting the long and bloody push to Prague, the new capital of the HRE and the emperor's personal prize it seems, of his conquests in Poland. **

**My father continues to be…enthusiastic about the war in Iberia and little else save the cannon research, which he funds partially from his own coin. Daniels keeps a close eye on him whilst his agents continue to serve me. This matter…should be kept as quite as possible.**

…

**16****th**** October 1079**

_The Emperor is becoming more erratic as he spends time away from the war. Windsor is no longer a safe haven for whatever demons haunt him. I would suggest a priest but none save the Pope could hope to purge his soul of this…whatever this is. And I do not trust this new Pope. Shocking as it may seems, I have learnt much as an intelligence master and one thing my instincts tell me is that some members of the church no longer love us as once they did. This is troubling. _

_However, hope, as my King is fond of saying, springs eternal. The great bulge of imperial troops have been captured and destroyed by the brave Sir George, a feat that surely shall heap upon him great blessings from the Almighty and from the secular crowns and rulers of Christendom. The price was heavy though…the Second Legion is all but gone. The First Legion remains sealed in Arkham and is slowly being chipped away. The HRE is emptying of our quality troops and it seems, unlikely as it is, that our war might be won by irregular armies, minor nobles and freedmen and disease itself! Truly, this world is changing in ways I could not have conceived of twenty years ago._

_The road ahead is still hard. A true army still holds grip on the road to Metz, Staufen remains under siege yet if these two forces are dealt with, the HRE will have been pushed back very far indeed. The western heartlands shall belong to us._

…

**20****th**** October 1079**

The Venetian remnants have become desperate indeed. Samuel tells me that they have apparently joined the crusade against the Holy Roman Empire! Or at least…that is what they claim. That is there excuse. They seized the east bank opposite Italy from its new owners (the King's Men say that the Hungarians have, having lost Vienna and a large corner of her northern kingdom, sought to buy off the Germanic invaders from further war by giving their coast away for a pitiful sum). Though I have often questioned my haste in going to war, this underlines why I did so. There is nothing that shall stop the emperor from expanding, his greed and his grasp extend ever outwards like a drunkard's waistline.

Madness apparently is the name of the moment. The Papacy has in fact, grown militant in my absence. Orthodox Greece is the Pope's target and whilst I understand his irritation at the…misguided beliefs of our fellow Christians, still I feel uneasy. Greece remains one of the few secure and safe places for the Romans and I am loath to watch them become diminished further. I must aid them once my task is done. I owe it, even if not for they who are but the remnant of past glories. To those times, we owe the Romans.

Robert is uneasy also. Increasingly he has had trouble in my absence with the Vatican. This foreign Bishop of Rome gaining an independent power base and taking the initiative without us, their key partners in faith and in the world…this is disquieting. We must take steps I think, to introduce more of our own bishops into the college. The Holy Father should be focused on Christendom's issues, not assaulting an innocent people whom have done no wrong. I must speak to Robert on this.

…

My dreams worsen. Sleep, God's blessed relief for the day's struggles, eludes me like a fox within a forest. Images and visions of blood and murder, of people long dead on the battle field and those yet to come haunt my bedchamber. I have had a few priests whom I trust to examine and exercise the rooms and yet I remain attached to these fiends. Perhaps the fault is my own? What does this mine for me?

…

**My father arrived at Windsor just in time to see the Sixth Legion leave for Iberia. So many youths gone to fight…and now I sound as old as Methuselah. Regardless, the Fourth Legion must regain its strength and I must see to my father. He is distracted and seemingly beyond God's words-something that worries me more than anything else. What did he see down there in the Muslim infested world? What demons walk in his footsteps?**

…

**23****rd**** October 1079**

**I have summoned Lord George, the great general whom, though merely a lowly knight, took Metz when all else could not, to Windsor. There he shall recreate the Second Legion in all its glory and we shall finally begin fighting true winning battles against the HRE. **

**I have read and heard more news from Henry from my father and from himself. The African Legion is prepared and already on its way across the seas to the edge of Africa, to the coastal trade capital of the Moors, where their sultan lies. The Corsican irregular army did indeed reach and lay siege to the castle of Algiers, which is the main coastal defence on the Mediterranean side of the Moorish Empire. Then when they have dealt with the undersized garrison there, they shall take the rest of the desert region and the roads. The African Legion should do the rest, though mapping the desert shall be a problem I am glad I do not have to solve…**

**The Baltic and Home Fleets are coming along nicely. The cannons are the costly and difficult parts of the whole…mechanism. A fleet in the Med being constructed at Genoa is also underway, and here the Italian craftsmanship really shines. Now more than ever it is apparent that having many schools and centres of art and culture in a kingdom is a good thing. For our Empire to succeed, we must emulate this.**

**I have many plans for the Legions too. We cannot just rely on militias and irregular force in our wars. How pathetic is it if we must continue to do so? We must have many more legions…in fact, we suffer from the same problem the Scipii did. They had tiny armies and had to militarise in a panic when wars came around. Fortunately we have a tighter grip on our finances so we might afford full time standing armies perpetually.**

**Nuremburg, another state capital, falls to our men and the HRE dims ever more into history. Their Polish empire beckons to us and soon we shall leave their actual homelands and fight over their imperial possessions. The Polish are very small in size now, a micro kingdom of one city and her lands, but they still fight and stay true to the Faith, something not everyone can claim. I ordered Lord Richard of Oxford to move up towards Vienna to flank the German armies before our push north to end this war. He wishes to join the crusade against Kraków and I think I may let him after he wins this battle. The Lord knows, it would be a great boon to us that we celebrate a victory in our own crusade! **

**They fight on too, God be fair to them. There is no sign of their great warrior emperor yet but he must surely be waiting and planning a great battle for us? I would expect nothing less than a fellow leader and conqueror of his majesty. The Scandinavians have reached our troops again for the first time this year, an occasion apparently celebrated to the extent that the two groups were knocked out for several hours afterwards…**

…

**1****st**** November 1079**

The Portuguese still have bite! They attacked Corsica with overwhelming force. They should have brought more! My noble citizens fought back tooth and nail, driving away the heathens and throwing them back into the sea!

The Sixth Legion is marching to Iberia to reinforce the Fifth, which is in danger of being pinned down by the Portuguese northern forces and the Moors. My Legion is ready to march…well, soon it shall be. Then we shall see who shall rule this land!

…

_Richard the Crusader has taken Vienna and Kraków in rapid succession. The Scandinavians have taken Thorn Castle and so the HRE are surrounded by our forces now, with no escape. Then can try to flee by sea or into Hungary, but any other path leads to our waiting warriors. In short, we are now at a second Metz situation, but one of far greater size and importance. We have them in a sack, they now will fight to leave it._

_Even greater news has occurred, as Richard also slew the great German emperor Titus, the man who dared to unify the HRE and bring it back from the brink. Perhaps one day people shall revere him. But not today, today we celebrate the end of the possibility of defeat. Now there can only be a question of how long and how many men. _

…

**The Kingdom of Russia has collapsed. The Mongols have taken everything.**

**They are coming.**

* * *

**Recorder TBC's Notes**

The crusades are a good indication as to how much power the independent church movement had. Originally, Europe was united behind the Vatican's call to arms against first the Egyptians and then the Sicilians. Overtime however, crusades began to be used, unknowingly or not, to remove the British Empire's enemies from areas.

The first Moorish prince to die in a century fell at Valencia, signifying the way to come for the Winter War. Though there would be setbacks as shown in the records, the British would never be brought so low again in the war and no more great mistakes were made by the Royals. The killing of the last Dodge of the Venetians in Tripoli and the capture of so much African land led to Henry being nicknamed the 'Lord of Africa' and the start of the Empire's greater interest in the continent. Whilst Venice remained wealthy and present in the Greek Isles, their power and status was broken at last and the British took their crown as 'Monarch of the Seas'. Trade flourished all along the Mediterranean and the Egyptians especially benefited from their new ally to their west.

The input of Harold and Richard to the fighting in the HRE highlights the end of the British defensive war and the start of the offensive operation once again. Lord George's capture of Metz is viewed by some historians as the point where British victory became inevitable. This idea holds merit but as the records will show, the war was hardly clear cut for a few more months after this. The poor quality of imperial troops do show in the records however, as irregular, barely equipped armies of French and Italian men do battle and match them in equal measure.

Robert would go on to reform the Legions and Fleets of the Empire into a more recognisably modern force, or at least the form used for over a century. Every province possessed a military stronghold, a centre for training, in which the defence legion for that province stood guard. An offensive legion patrolled the borders of each province in case of war or rebels. France possessed Windsor (thus giving it implicitly more protection due to the size of the complex), Italy gained Bern in the Alps, Iberia (eventually) would use Valencia, New Carthage would serve North Africa and Arkham would service the former HRE lands the British controlled. Instead of stationary legions, the British Isles gained the Home Fleet, which was seen by all as obviously better than having armies stationed in the Home Kingdoms and in Norway (though the latter decision caused problems for a time). There were also the (infamous) Imperial Legions, which were used purely for war, serviced by their own fleet and would be the first in and last out of any British troops. Their time in poplar history was not to come for many years but it was such a spectacular display of awe and violence that it shakes the world to this day.

One further note on the separation of church and state: a Papal Legion was suggested by William but was blocked, hastily, by the Vatican. Florence however accepts the offer of 'Imperial Guards' to protect and patrol their city and lands. These guards would eventually crop up in Rome and remain an integral part of the city ever since (especially to tourists).


	34. The Third Winter War Prt VI

**3****rd**** November 1079**

**My father has left for the front again. I have a certain sense of relief about the whole affair now he is, at least, doing what God sent him here to do. Perhaps the conquest of Iberia will allow him to sleep at night? I do not know. Daniels stays by his side and shall not leave it for now. Yes our intelligence may suffer in the meanwhile, our Emperor is at least as important as the winning war situation. As for myself, I ride out from Arkham for the first time in far too long. Now however, we have weathered the storm within these grey walls and it is time for the assault on Magdeburg. If we are successful there, the majority of the remaining large imperial armies will be destroyed, and all of their military holdings bar those in cities and Stettin Castle on the coast.**

…

Pamplona falls to mine Legions and we are back, truly back, in Iberia. Portugal retains only the fallen city of Elysium outside of their own country and it is there we must concentrate on saving our citizens from the heathens before we deal with their wicked king. The Holy Father's…concerns with this conflict have arisen again, despite my son's assurances that he does all he can to convince him otherwise. No matter. The Sixth Legion deserves some rest after their heroic battle for the castle, whilst my own legionaries are showing their age and experience once more.

…

**7****th**** November 1079**

_The demilitarization projects across Western Germania (though the word is ancient, it seems appropriate considering what my Emperor has done so far. Perhaps it shall enter wider usage once more?) are underway, with Innsbruck Castle being torn down in the Alps and new towns being nurtured into being in its place. The eventual plan is to destroy every single castle that was once under control of the German princes, aside from Bern, the Roman citadel that overs great protection to Italy just across the border and Arkham, a truly immense complex of military holdings that shall surely bring security to the Danish people again just across the border._

_My attentions have left Germania but have focused on Iberia. The King's Men have brilliantly allowed the taking of Granada Castle with relatively little bloodshed on either side. The Moors are now in danger of being pushed out of Iberia and the Portuguese are in danger of total defeat. Quite a change I think, from the nightmarish situation of yesteryear and the Emperor's minor folly in involving us in this harsh land. At least now, the trading network is not cut in half by the Iberians and we can much more quickly gain access to the Med. _

…

**12****th**** November 1079**

**Magdeburg has been taken during the evening's rest, allowing the castle to fall quietly and then battle commenced from many sides at once on the imperial forces. None remain here now and we move one step closer to victory. Stettin remains free it is true but as the Scandinavian advance is currently right next to the fortress, I am confident that we and our allies shall easily take that place also.**

…

_The Corsican Irregular Army has taken Algiers with aid from the Papal Expeditionary Force! It seems we do still have friends, many of them, within the Vatican. At times like this, it is god and heartening to be reminded that we are all in the end working towards the same cause, worship the same God and work together for the betterment of His plan. _

_Henry plans to rename, disarm and redevelop the place into the new capital of the province along the coast._

…

**15****th**** November 1079**

Samuel tells me the African Legion has landed on the Atlantic coast of Africa and their new commander Arthur Knight is making all due speed towards Marrakesh, the trade and cultural centre for the Moors and the home of their current Sultan. Haha! That shall be of great help here, as we push them back even further into their holdings. Soon we shall have Africa and Iberia…how unexpected.

Robert has taken heed of my advice and demilitarised much of our captured German lands. I do not trust those German kings and princes and lords with castles yet. The Legions shall be their sword and shield, not their own forces. Perhaps we can institute this across the Empire, thus banishing any idea or thought of rebellion against me? The petty lords cannot fight if they have no way to without joining my ranks!

I myself have my enemies just where I wish them to be. In two days' time the Spanish Royal Army shall be six feet underground in Satan's cold embrace whilst I shall ride toward Toledo and retake the centre of Iberia for mine own use. The end of the war is near, I can feel it. After this battle, the Iberian Peninsula will fall quickly to us I think, ending another bloody campaign for myself and also, with mine sons' efforts in Europe and in Africa, peace amongst Christians for a while at least, though the rising Muslim populations we are coming to be responsible for are troubling.

Perhaps Samuel has an idea for that.

…

**19****th**** November 1079**

_Well the Emperor has been most effective in his quests of late. Toledo and Madrid were retaken mere days ago by his legion and I assume the Royal Army has been fully dealt with at last. _

_Interestingly, the majority of the Moorish and Muslim leaders, merchants, fighters…anything really of import to that realm, have been evacuating Iberia in droves following this success, perhaps seeing that finally we have come in full force to their previous unimpeded riding lands and started to fight hard against resistance. If this exodos contuse only a single army shall be left in the country, that of the Córdoba town army, which is their capital in their region of Iberia. I think this shall make our monarch's task ever easier, but I fear the consequences of the desert filling once more with Muslim troops, now that our young Lord Knight is sailing towards their heartlands on the Atlantic coast. Still, we have the Almighty on our side and God willing, our legions will see fair shores once again._

_In more pressing news, the Hungarian court has once again met with Robert and the commanding generals over the fate of Vienna and her regions. The HRE had stolen the land five years previously in the beginnings of their imperial ambitions (not so coincidentally around the time that Hungary began to weaken as one of its most valuable and large regions was taken from it) and should we return it now, Hungary will be able to become a true kingdom again. In terms of reputation, we need to do this, for though no one wishes to cross swords with us, our names and deeds are slandered in equal measure to the degree that the Balkans (those still alive after war and plague) are deeply afraid and mistrustful of us, whilst the Iberians fully loath us._

_I see no alternative but to acquiesce, though Robert would be loath to, considering how much it cost us to get this far. Still, I come at this from the perspective of a man of my time, not the here and now. Most of Europe and Christendom now resides within the Empire, due to afore mentioned war and sickness. We have saved, fought for, protected, defended and uplifted many hundreds of thousands of people into civilization and for that we are loved. Yet it seems success makes others grow first afraid and then bitter. I must tighten my network and infiltrate every outsider court. No one shall take away from us what we have earned by right of conquest, nor endanger innocent lives or the precious cup of civility we have managed to save from the abject barbarisms of the times. _

_But enough of these wanderings…Prague, the great city of the Poles, lies before our Lord Harold and he will take it back for us from the dreaded German menace._

…

**23****rd**** November 1079**

**It took every irregular unit Harold could muster but we did it. Prague kneels to us and the Germans are well on the retreat. It seems that Germania, just as Iberia, is looking to be tameable after all. Perhaps this whole disaster might bear some fruit despite the violence, the setbacks and the colossal waste of resources. **

**Perhaps…**

**Portugal remains defenceless in their own lands and my father is rapidly moving towards the one threat left to us in the north of Iberia. The fighting will be fierce but the outcome for once is inevitable. **

**Stettin fell to my First Legion very quickly and the last true military outpost of the German emperor is silenced. **

**My reports and intelligence become more scattered and lacklustre by the day as our armies and legions move quickly throughout the land, killing and pillaging, not that there is much of either treasure or body left in this place. It is so dark and cold within these silent forests. The snow falls quietly either side of our paths, forming large banks and drifts. Truly the Julii were tough men to live such as this, when Italia was not so far away.**

**Now surely the assault or at least the arrival at the Atlantic coast must have occurred. The African Legion has been at sea for many days and weeks now, I hope they find solace in their victory. I have confidence in the Knight family, especially after the brave actions of their eldest son in quelling the Germanic hoards.**

**In this place, I feel that time stand still and little has happened since the days of the Romans, or even that their time has not yet ended, nor even begun. What is it about our people that leads us to such passions for war and power and cruelty in achieving both those things? How in God's name did such a creature of ours crawl from mud huts on the banks of the Nile to palaces in Scotland? Truly there must be a God, else we have a secret inate genius within ourselves that is too easily twisted into expansion by any menas. I feel it. My father burns it. My brother was consumed by it. How this all shall end I do not know but I know this, all this too shall pass. My Empire, my name, the achievements we have performed…all exist here now to you. In dry prose…**

**The end will come for me and I shall not shed tears at Death's embrace.**

* * *

**Recorder TBC's Notes:**

The Pope's continued interference in the Iberian conflict sent the Papacy to the top of Robert's list of 'problems' to be fixed once the war was over. The Imperial Guards in Florence were the end result of a series of manoeuvres from the British that eroded Papal authority and the successful seizure of almost every member position of the college cemented them in Rome.

The ideas for on-land cannon was still unpopular among the Empire due to field commanders reporting on their supreme ineffectiveness at anything but some fortification barraging. Though this is understandable, the lack of research and faith in cannon caused trouble for many Legions later on. Sea forces took to gunpowder very quickly though and by the end of 1079, two large Gun Holk fleets were ready and set off the coast of England, with a larger ocean going vessel in the works that was the first true purpose built warship for gun warship. The great amount of resources and interest from both the Admiralty and the Royals allowed this great and quick advancement of naval warfare to proceed.

It is interesting to note that, despite the impressions gleaned from Robert and the others in these records, the British were rarely outclassed in battle and almost never in war generally. This can be seen clearly in Iberia, where given the chance of breathing room from a Pope ironically enough trying to stop British victories, they rearm, redeploy and easily crush their enemies when they could focus on one at a time. The exceptions are the HRE and the Moors, either of whom could have unified their armies to easily defend their own territory at least, if not expand outwards against the British. The seizure of Venetian Tripoli, their entire colony in Africa along with the North African coast of the Mediterranean Sea led to the beginning of British dominance in Africa. The Moors' failure to concentrate on either their Iberian war or their African war led to them losing both, a common theme running through military history. Henry would split North Africa into the provinces that he divided up as he conquered them (New Carthage and her lands, the Venetian Colony, the North African Meditation coast and the Atlantic coast lands) and was given by the locals and his troops the 'unofficial-official' title of the Lord of Africa very quickly, which he took up as a personal quirk. Algiers, by the way, is renamed Renown by the British as they rebuild the settlement into a non-military trade hub.

William and Robert's demilitarisation of the former HRE was swiftly followed by a proclamation across the Empire that private armies and mercenary bands would no longer be tolerated, sparking a few small rebellions in northern Italy, Germania and France but none in the Home Kingdoms, where that had been the practice since the Norman invasion. This centralisation of power made the Emperor quite unpopular with his noble subjects but endeared him to the mob, as they had been at the mercy of such men for many centuries. The Germanic states and cities that voluntarily joined the Empire can be found easily on a map by virtue of the fact they kept their original names and identities as a reward. The eastern provinces were colonised and renamed however, barren as they were from war and plague.

The British were in the mud reputation-wise, with only Scandinavia holding a high opinion of them officially. The Pope also still seemed to be 'out to get them' in terms of military interference and religious injunctions. This especially started to drive a wedge between father and son, as Robert had a much more imperial view of the developing landscape than his father and was not impressed by the repeated attempts at sabotage from a city and faction he had personally saved from enslavement. Long gone were the days when a city state could quell a British force in any meaningful sense and the young heir was beginning to see that the Papacy as a whole was becoming an abomination of itself. The bishop of Rome was, in his view, nothing more than a first among equals, not the Prince of Europe and certainly not God's presence on earth. The fall of the HRE ended Papal authority in Europe and doomed their last attempt at secular power (beyond land they already controlled, which was extensive). The fact that Britain and the British now controlled every Christian of import, all the holy sites and access into Rome meant the days of an independent Vatican were dwindling. The princess of the building itself reminded all who prayed within whom held power on Earth.

The Iberian campaign went on for so long and was so apparently distinct that many historians (and the Iberians today) refer to it separately as the Unification War, rather than, as it truly was, as a campaign in the Third Winter War, odd though it may appear. The African and the Iberian campaigns both began as a result of the war in Europe and succeeded and were affected by the constant fighting and the rampant militarisation of the Empire. The two campaigns also were linked closely to each other, as the Moors stretched over both and fought equally hard in both respects. Eventually this led to a large minority of Muslims in Africa (to this day) and the same to a lesser degree in Iberia, as the British did not slaughter their populations in the south of the Peninsula and never at all in Africa (though Henry was the most brutal in battle of the three royals of the period, he was also the most chivalrous outside of combat and notoriously liberal in his African realm).


	35. The Third Winter War Prt VII

**23****rd**** November 1079**

_Marrakesh is not what it once was, emboldened by trade from both sides of the straits yet it remains still the only place of consequence on the Atlantic coast in Africa. The Sultan made his annual visit there three weeks ago and it is hoped that we might catch him within the siege. To that end the King's Men have delayed caravans, started a few disturbances in markets and in general made administering the city difficult, thus coercing their ruler to stay on. All Lord Knight must do now is take the chance to defeat this, the last of our enemies three. Though the mysterious desert lands of Timbuktu and elsewhere remains theirs, my sources cannot yet find them. Perhaps Henry shall have more look in persuading the locals to be useful._

…

A letter addressed to Henry and the Emperor –

**My Lord, my Emperor,**

**Marrakesh is won and the enemy king slain upon his battlements. The city is under our control and disruption so far has been kept to a minimum. As this now grants my messengers easy routes to your noble selves, I send a copy of this letter to each of you.**

**Honour and glory, God bless the Emperor!**

**-Lord Arthur Farrow Knight, Commander of the African Legion**

…

**25****th**** November 1079**

Córdoba fell to my Sixth Legion in the south as I was receiving words of the great work being done in Africa. The Moors have been banished from Europe forever and have I think retreated into their desert (and good riddance to them)!

The war's end grows ever nearer with the end of fighting in Africa and the last grand battles in Iberia arriving on the horizon. If Robert can, and I believe he can, put down the German emperor, then we can truly begin to hope for a time of peace and happiness to engulf all of us under the cross.

With Portugal defenceless, the Spanish left to their original lands in the north and Elysium surrounded by my best troops, I feel confident that I at least can be an instrument to make this world a little safer and less dark.

…

**The HRE are collapsing in their flanks once more. An irregular force made up of most of our generals in the region headed by Sir Perkin Knight [**younger brother of Africa's Arthur**]** **have waged war upon the imperial capital at Breslau. The city is cannon infested and by thunder if the sound of a dozen or so of those infernal contraptions does not make the ground quake and shiver in revulsion. Still, I have confidence in my commanders.**

**The Emperor and his son Prince Jan are inside the citadel within the city and though the King's Men have not breached that barricade yet, the city guard have been gossiping like old wives. The pair argue and bicker over the Emperor's tendencies to order mass charges in spite of our numerical advantage now being apparent to all. The son meanwhile is said to be level headed and wise in the ways of war in a way his father used to be. I can only imagine that he was not allowed to direct the war himself then, else we would have had a much harder time of it.**

**Again…it disquiets me how the emperor fell from a kingdom cursing champion of the Church and of honour to this bloodthirsty tyrant. His fall would surely make for a great Greek tragedy, but alas, he possessed too great a power, went mad and so we and his people must suffer.**

**I shall remember my sympathies when he lies in the dirt at my feet.**

...

**27****th**** November 1079**

King Erio is dead and Elysium is back with her master. I have also received more letters from Henry and Arthur. The boys are doing well in Africa and already the search is on for hidden Moor outposts and this secret city of theirs in the deserts. Henry also expressed a desire to end the Venetian stranglehold in the eastern Mediterranean by taking their Greek islands away from them. Crete shall be his first target I expect and I approve of this of course. More and more, my youngest impresses me with his initiative and quick thinking. Robert is…becoming far more conservative than I could ever have imagined lately.

The Venetians continues to have a presence on the east bank across from Italy, which we shall allow no further. I have sent word and the various lords have proven most…eager I should say, to creating irregulars to march against their former brethren. What is it with these former Romans and their love of money?

God works in His mysterious ways but I know my path: back to Lisbon to end what I started and then on to the last pockets of Spanish blood in the land. This has been a long time coming but I think history shall find my actions justifiable considering the warmongering attitudes of these two peoples.

…

I had the strange dreams again, of a towering inferno in a forest, surrounded by the screams of the dead and the dying. I was fighting Rodrigo, but he was both Rufus and Erio too. The Holy Fathers looked on in shame as we fought in the ash filled battleground. My colours fell and the sky turned red, though it had been but night before.

I fear something terrible is happening.

…

**30****th**** November 1079**

**Prince Jan has a manhood his father dreams of. Riding astride what troops he had left, the German tore through the irregulars with their cannon and looked to overwhelm them all. This did not despair Knight however. He braved the guns and destroyed many, proving for the moment that these metal beasts are no match for our French steeds. Prince Jan pinned the attackers with his own attack, assaulting Knight directly whilst calling canon fire down ****_on his own positon_****. Knight fell and the day was lost, yet at a greater cost to the German that it was to us. We are robbed of a promising young general and leader of men, but I take heart in knowing his sacrifice made victory assured in this war. The Germans now have no army left to fight with.**

**My…friends in Egypt have sent a surprising missive. They have actually honoured the alliance I wrote up, seizing the Moorish land in the East and effectively removing their empire for us! Truly, this is a turning point in my luck. I think this has finally stopped being such an anus horribles.**

**…**

**I am correct, though it shocks me that I would ever find gladness in my heart for the death of the Pope. Our primarcy is surely about to be restored and my God if I do not sing Your name to the heavens for this blessing! Apparently my father bade Henry scour the ocean clean of the Venetian fleet too, in his insane but increasingly more likely plan to see peace in our time before Christmas 1079. But who knows? When one is with the Lord, all burdens, all problems just seem to feel lighter.**

…

**3****rd**** December 1079**

_Our new Bishop of Rome is most sound. Though it sounds blasphemous to think of the holder of such divine will, I am not the young monk I once was. Robert's attitudes towards the Papacy are, whilst increasingly imperialistic, nonetheless understandable considering both how we are now for better or for worse the body of Christendom and the protector of the Faith on Earth, whether the Vatican chooses to recognise reality or not._

_The Portuguese technically began the conflict in Iberia and so we have our enemies excommunicated. Though many of the future generations may deride us for this and we might be vilified by our actions, I must protect my monarch and my home, even if as Spymaster I must use distasteful means to do so._

_The Emperor shall be aided by this development which gladdens me considerably. He has been away from the heartlands for too long as it is. A man of his years and temperament should be in court being served delights, not fighting hard in the field. This isn't Sparta after all, nor should we wish to follow their standards. I think Robert's influence has spread far in the Emperor's absence, allowing both a greater freedom in his generals to act as they see fit but also a stigma attached to the old ways of conformity to Rome without the guiding hand of the Emperor, a priority for war over peace (I am not sure even he realises how far this has gone) and an abandonment of the idea that this is an Empire for Christ's Christians. The Muslims still own Africa, we are merely their lords. Though I cannot fault their ways, as they have been shown to be both truly advanced medically and scientifically. Perhaps I too am confined by my past within the rigid walls of the Church?_

_But I muse more and more. Yet so does Robert, and I know William ponder more in his tent too. What is our purpose once this war is over? What aim should we strive towards? Who are we? What do we want, as well as what does God want?_

_I seek no more answers in Rome than I do from Emperor William nowadays. All the old pillars of faith are eroding away…_

…

Lisbon fell as one would expect for a refuse heap no one defends. We committed it to the fires of their master Lucifer and set about the same to their countrymen. In this place the earth shall turn black as if the Almighty through mine hands did smite the ground and declare 'No More.' I shall spend a period of time overseeing this but I cannot stay as long as I might like, the Spanish still exist and must be put to the sword also. All, at least in this peninsula, shall be cleansed by the fires and the irons and the might of the British.

…

**10****th**** December 1079**

**I have come myself to end Jan in his city. The Emperor ran long ago like the coward he is to the Mongol border (let us see how long he lasts against THOSE godless demons). Stil, someone must suffer for his crimes and since Jan also killed one of my Generals…**

**I have him seized, beaten and whipped in front of the people of Prague, his birth city. I personally strip and berate his pathetic form before throwing him down the imperial palace steps into the waiting crowd of vengeful Polish nobles, whom tear out his heart and his tenders afore his very eyes. **

**Standing in front of the now satisfied mob, I declare, with its last true ruler's blood coating my gauntlets, that the Holy Roman Empire is now more and that Germania belongs now to its worthy people of God, and to the British Crown.**

**So ends the Great War.**

…

Just as I had finished driving the disembowelled husk of King Jule through his chamber window, Henry's scout arrived with news of his capture of the Venetian trade islands of Crete, Rhodes and many other southern Greek isles. As I emerged and beheld the cheering masses of my tired but ready men and a grinning, limping Morcar, my right hand General through the French, Italian and now Iberian campaigns, I sighed a great sigh of relief over God's vast earth, thankful to the heavens that my task was one step closer to being completed. Though it cost me and my people much and the enemy far greater things, peace reigns now. May it flourish under my rule.

I declare a day of celebration and feasting across the Empire. Thanks be to God!

* * *

**Recorder TBC's Notes:**

The Third Winter War ended on the 10th December 1079 and with a British victory on all fronts, taking Iberia, Germania (the former expanded HRE), the Venetian islands and the coastline of North Africa. The Iberian Civil War also ended with the unification of the peninsula and a dividing of the massive area of land into southern, Muslim dominated provinces and larger, empty northern provinces that needed to be both filled again and also built in.

The question of Iberia was easily answered. Like eastern German lands the peninsula was barren too much in the number of Christians and thus many British men came to repopulate the earth. In the south, the Muslim populace was less diminished and thus the ways used by Henry in Africa were adopted there as well. William became King of Iberia in 1080 and retained the Dukedom of Madrid till his dying day, when he left it to Lord George and his family, whom would become very much like kings in Iberia for many a year afterward.

The former HRE would not be dealt with so easily however, and the solution Robert eventually went with led directly to millions of deaths and the most cataclysmic war in world history to date.


	36. Situational Report IX

**Situational Report IX**

**Dated 20****st**** December 1079**

**Recorder: Fredrick Daniels**

_For the eyes of his Imperial Majesty, Emperor William the Conqueror, Ruler of the Home Kingdoms of England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland, King of France and of Italy, Lord of the Netherlands, the Duke of Sicily, Flanders, Madrid and Prague. Defender of the Faith, and the Emperor of the British._

_And also his son, the Crown Prince Robert the Grand Crusader of England, Duke of Normandy and of Arkham._

_And his other, Prince Henry of Wales, Duke of Edinburgh, Dublin and New Carthage. The Lord of Africa and of the Greek Isles._

…

Economy:

The economy is in shambles and our books are not balanced at all. Continental trade collapsed with the commencement of war and the Mediterranean routes fared little better. We need to make the roads and seas safe again or our tax money will dry up too.

However, we have many more larger cities in the Empire now, meaning more tax revenue and trade opportunities for merchants and for nobles. Germania requires intense demilitarisation that shall both cost hundreds of thousands of pounds and make millions more from both the cities we'll create and rebuild. This means of course that the next few years will be hard and lean for us as a whole but in many areas the wealth will flow more than ever.

The Home Kingdoms and the Oslo trade route is performing admirably as always. Recent turmoil in Scandinavia, especially on the Norwegian coast, means that a greater naval presence may be required soon in the Baltic Sea.

France and Italy continue to be our greatest tax income earners but the decline in population across the Empire has decreased it drastically. The harvest this year was, thankfully, bountiful but with fewer hands to gather it supplies will take longer to get around and there will be a potential grain shortage in outlying regions.

There is one other area I should report on… There seems to be several incredibly lucrative trade routes available in Africa, both to Europe and to other parts of a much larger Asia than the former Roman Asia Minor. I must impress onto you all the importance of getting into these systems, especially as the Mongol threat will mean we shall need new source of income.

...

Military:

In a word: strained. The Legion system has been dealt a harsh blow as every single legion has been placed far away from normal regions and all bar the African and Third are understrength, with the Second and First most badly hurt by the German campaign. However, we do have the capability and experience with rebuilding and restoring armies quickly, it shall just take time and resources.

The more worrying matter is the irregular armies. They were wildly successful in defending Italy and pushing back the HRE, with most of our generals coming from such humble beginnings. However, this means that there are now several armies of fiercely loyal troops under the command of lesser nobles and commoners moving around freely in the former HRE and residing in most of her key cities in the west. Our commanders are loyal but not to a fault, it is why they were so effective in the war; now however they seem to be banding together to discuss matters and all of our generals bar Arthur Knight have associated with them. I hope this comes to nothing, but in the meanwhile I have agents watching this movement and beseech my majesties' to do something to either break apart or secure the loyalty of this group of powerful men in the middle of our Empire.

The Navy is in dire need of attention. It is now the only realistic way to speedily travel around the Empire, at least until the Imperial Highway in its full form is connected from Calais to the furthest tips of our greatness. Even if that fixes the problem (I have doubts that it will) we still must strive to be the foremost power in the water, especially now the Romans have lost that title and the Mongol and Turk have taken their place. If the eastern Mediterranean is to remain open for trade, we must project our power onto the waves as the Scipii once did. Their true power was that, though they fought empires equal to themselves, they could attack from anywhere due to their naval supremacy. We must be as they were.

The Legions and the Navy must be rebuilt for obvious reasons but we must also look to our new frontiers. Whilst our North African allies the Egyptians have been of great help in our fight with the Moors and they continue to offer us friendship, in Europe the situation is perhaps even direr than it was previously. We must now defend a massive land border without much natural defence bar forest against the largest faction to exist since the glory days of Rome, and even then the Mongols have surpassed them. Demilitarising the HRE is a sound idea yet the former Polish lands we now hold must be fortified. Arkham cannot hold back the Mongols, it is too far away from the border now. Several new Legions and fleets shall be required to keep the balance of power, and even then, I fear war is all but inevitable again. The only question is when?

...

Population:

The British stand once again at ten million strong. We have begun to recover from plague, war, famine and drought. Our Empire stretches from the Atlantic to the frozen Russia wastes, and thus soon our lands will be brimming with loyal and happy citizens whom we must serve and protect as much as they enrich and empower us.

...

Reputation:

Unfortunately, the Emperor's absence from European politics and the disagreeable instances in Iberia have allowed a large faction of dissenters to break out amongst fellow Christian nations. We have no allies bar the eternal Scandinavian bond, the Papal concord and the surprisingly robust Egyptian alliance. Our reputation in the Balkans is in the mud and the Vatican seems to be turning against us. The Remnant peoples of Spain and Sicily are no surprise but the colder relations we are enjoying with the Romans in Cyprus are something of a surprise, though it stands to reason that they are angered by our lack of aid towards them in their dark hour, considering how many times we have fought together against other foes. Perhaps this can be mended yet?

The Hungarians though need to be dealt with. They were and remain the power in the Christian Balkans, and now are doubled in importance following the collapse of Roman rule across the sea. To counterman the Muslims Mongols and Turks, we must strengthen and ally with these fine people, whom fought with us in Italy against the heathens. Fortunately, we might have a way to placate King Drake whilst also lending them strength. Vienna, once stolen from the Hungarians along with the north western corner of their kingdom (a sizeable chunk I might add) now rest with us after the HRE collapsed. If we gift it, we lose only the threat of war in the Balkans and a slight decrease in the defensibility of Italy.

...

Summary:

The British Empire is Christendom embodied, though there are other Christian kingdoms out there. We must stand strong now against invaders to our lands, but must also not seek further expansion at this time. This is a time for healing and for peace whilst we strengthen ourselves and our good Christian brothers to prevent another great war in the north and too much Christian blood being lost.

The Papacy _must_ be dealt with.

…

**The balance of power:**

Here enclose is an expansive breakdown of what once was before the war and what is now hereafter. But in summary,

**The ranking of power January 1078**

The Holy Roman Empire, including all of her vassals and protectorates.

The (Eastern) Roman Empire

The Holy Roman Empire alone

The Moor Sultanate

The British Empire

The Venetian Trade Network (technically, having hold of both the major Greek islands, a large piece of North Africa centred around Tripoli and some crusading cities in the East)

**The ranking of power December 1079**

The Mongolian Empire (of Europe and of Asia)

The British Empire

The Turkish Sultanate

The Kingdom of Egypt (a borderline empire in that it holds much of what it traditionally once did in the time of Gaius Scipio)

The (Eastern) Roman Empire

The Kingdom of Scandinavia

The Kingdom of Hungary (providing Vienna is restored to them)

As you can see, the situation has changed dramatically. Every great empire that was in ascendance before the war bar ourselves not only collapsed but has been destroyed. The Romans are but a shadow of their past glories and the new empires that now struggle for dominance are perhaps even more powerful than the ones they have replaced. Whilst it appeared for a time that the HRE would survive the war, it was not to be and, though the Moors benefited from the war's outset, when we began militarising and especially when Emperor William entered Iberia, they rapidly deteriorated as a power. As it stands, we are second in the league of power now for we have drastically overextended ourselves beyond capability to control. The minor German barons and kingdoms will not submit easily in the west, whilst those out east are empty of men and civilization. Likewise in northern and western Iberia the peninsula lies barren, whilst the south east especially is filled with Muslim cities and nobles, all of whom must fall into line lest we fight another war there.

...

The situation in Africa:

Prince Henry has complete command over the North African coastline outside of Egypt, a feat most spectacular both economically and militarily. As we now surround both sides of the Western Mediterranean and hold the only Atlantic ports in the world, our sea trade is booming and the era of Moorish raiders and pirates is coming to a close. Now if our navy were to expand to take advantage of this newfound control, we would be capable of command the entire Mediterranean, from its great maw with the ocean to the Constantinople straits.

North Africa itself requires development but not nearly so much as Europe. The Muslims are, despite their inherent faults, highly sophisticated people with advanced understandings of construction and planning that place them on our level of city building. Indeed, many of the Empire's greatest cities now reside within the Muslim dominated half of our Empire and we would be wise to both tolerate their presence, as my Prince has done to great success, and to beseech them to aid us to create greater wonders still for the benefit of all. Still, we must place Christendom first and thus a great many churches need to be built and populated. This will take time and the Muslims have deeply entrenched themselves not just in their own lands but beyond the southern reaches of the desert to the independent African kingdoms. Though it might seem distasteful to some, trade and communication with these kingdoms will be more effective and lucrative than war, at least for now.

The Moors however, continue to own the desert. Timbuktu is still a mystery to my network and it is possible, though unlikely, they might even control up to the desert coastline, in which case we must find and destroy it at all costs.

Africa is a great opportunity to spread our influence to parts unknown and also to the oldest civilization, that of the Egyptians. Our alliance with them was unexpected but has proven to be both bountiful and pleasing to us and to them. As stated above, they have expanded to cover the Holy Land and are starting to become something of the power they once were in Scipii times, though hopefully now with greater ties to the nobler power. This alliance must be preserved and set in stone for as much as is possible, as we do not wish or desire the entire east to unite under a common Muslim brotherhood, especially under the Mongols or indeed the Turks, who remain the second great threat to Christendom simply because they have successfully waged war on its former great empire.

In summary, Africa is a bountiful land filled with milk and honey. We must strive to find ourselves worthy of its wealth and beauty.

...

In Asia:

Things are not going at all well for Christendom. The Byzantines cling to power in Greece after the fall of Constantinople but Asia Minor is lost to our kind. So great is this loss…I struggle to find words.

The sea was taken from Christ's hands and placed into the infidel's, for one. Only recently with the banishment of Moor and the understanding with Egypt has there been any progress in that area, yet the Black Sea remains lost and the entire Eastern Mediterranean treacherous for God's vessels.

Our allies control the Holy Land and we must count that amongst few blessings. At least the pilgrimage passages remain open, though sadly not through land routes through Asia Minor… Turkey and the Mongols however could represent a truly astounding threat to Europe and the Empire. The Mongols alone could easily surpass us and take Poland and the HRE lands without even vassals. Their numbers are limitless and their empire spans continents, so the legends say. Our only prayer of hope is that the Great Khan contuse to look eastwards rather than to the west, and that the Turks do not enter a full on military alliance with them. Should that occur, nowhere would be safe.

Our priority here should be to reclaim the Roman Empire and restore it. We cannot fight the Mongols but we can, with some risk, fight the Turks, especially if we had help. Unfortunately, our ally in Egypt would probably not wish this to occur, whilst the Mongols might turn and fight us should we begin interfering in their sphere of influence. Perhaps then the Balkans must be fortified. Hungary, with the return of Vienna, would be on its way back to being a powerful kingdom. The Romans could still reclaim Macedon and Constantinople from the Remnant factions and from the cut off and forgotten Mongol lord.

There is little else we can do indirectly and so it falls to us and our oldest friends and brothers to marshal against the Mongols ourselves.

...

In Europe:

We are strong here and unquestionable the face and power of Christ. Our Scandinavian friends are hardy and secure in their borders at last from the HRE and stand with us at Castle Thorn on the Mongol border, as well as their Finnish regions taken from the Russian years ago.

We have referred countless times to the Hungarians and the Balkans in general but it bears repeating their importance. If the Turks break through here, the war is lost and Italy itself will be threatened.

The Baltic and northern seas shall be the place where the first fights and impressions of power will be. Naval warfare shall be incredibly important this time around, for the empires involved are both huge and rely heavily on trade, we included. Our navy and the Scandinavian fleet must therefore be up to scratch and it may prove prudent to send a few designs to the King to allow a mutual defence flee to exist.

As for the Papacy…with our man in power it should not be a problem anymore but I must express the absolute imperative that it is that the Papal State does not interfere in the British affair in Asia or closer to home. This is even more important now as peace must be maintained for as long as possible. If we enter a war too early, millions of people will die and every Christian kingdom other than ours and Scandinavia will probably collapse and fall to the Muslims.

In summary, Europe is ours to lose, and therefore must be treated with great caution. It is here our Empire truly lives and dies after all, no matter what the greater religious significance of the Holy Lands hold.

…

Conclusions:

Things are…uncertain. We can survive many years of peace before war but not short months. All I can say with any deal of confidence is that a greater war is coming and it shall come hard to all of us. All I can say is that this time, we cannot fight this threat alone but also cannot allow anyone to interfere. This means that, as disrespectful and potentially blasphemous as it sounds, for the good of Christendom and free men everywhere, the Papacy must be brought to heel. Quickly.

* * *

**Recorder TBC's Notes:**

Students of history will note that William's titles of King of Iberia and King of Germania (the area of land eventually reformed into Germany and several other nations) are absent from Daniels' list. This is because William was crowned King of those areas on Christmas Day 1079, at his own request, within St Paul's in London. The lack of Papal presence indicates that although the Emperor did not yet know of all the difficulties Robert had with the Papacy over the previous campaigns, he was certainly aware of a cooling of relations and, interestingly, was doing nothing to mend that rift.

The other notable title absent, that of the 'Monarch of the Sea', was not actually officially given to British Emperors in William's lifetime. He did however hold the personal title in the last years of his life, following the Imperial Navy's rise to dominance.

The population at this time was actually closer to eight million in Europe and several thousands in Africa due to afore mentioned reasons. The population of North Africa would not recover from _its_ great plague and season of warfare until industrial times.


	37. 1080: The Long Peace

**_Recorder TBC: _**_This is the point the records fall short as both the Oxbridge Riots and the buildings set ablaze at that time destroyed a full decade of information and reports, with only a few pieces of primary sources remaining. The following shards and scraps of the past are all that remain, including what remains of personal correspondences, royal letters, situational reports and so on._

**31st December 1079**

The Pope has fallen prey to mortal weakness within two weeks of rule. His replacement is a strong, burly man from the high north of Denmark. The Scandinavians must be very pleased but I am ill at ease. Such a quick vote and such strange movements are occurring in Rome at this time. My son has informed me of all the…I can only say 'mischief' that the Papacy has been up to. A militant priesthood is not something I desire, that is my task after all. The Empire welcomes a strong church but the new movements in Italy are troubling everyone, especially Samuel and Robert.

We must wait and see what our God has in store for us.

…

[**Recorder TBC:** Three days after this entry was written, the Papacy declared a crusade against the British ally, the Egyptian Sultanate.]

…

**10th January 1080**

**[After several charred sheets of paper]…**

**-and this business with the Scandinavians, I must get Daniels' agents to find out what the court thinks they are doing! Declaring unilateral support for the completely out of the blue crusade against our Egyptian friends from our other main allies is an outrageous situation. I will not tolerate the Papacy interfering in the Middle East and especially not in Africa! If they dare land on the banks of the Nile, the Egyptians are going to scream bloody murder and I for one shall not blame them. They might be Muslims but they are honourable men. Henry shall just have to handle them.**

**I on the other hand, must handle Europe…**

…

[Relations with the Egyptians became strained for the next few weeks before Prince Henry managed to salvage the situation. The Papacy and the Scandinavians continued to prepare assaults however and soon ships were sent to invade.]

…

**24th March 1080**

_The Holy Roman Empire may be gone but the East remains incredibly unstable and entirely our responsibility until the Romans can be brought back to strength, along with our Hungarian 'friends'. The power gap between our lands and the Mongols is worrying. If an attack came now, the entirety of the Balkans might fall and Central Europe with it. Our holdings on the continent are over doubled in size and yet our population has barely increased with it. Repopulating these areas would be an extremely lengthy procedure and in that time an invasion might come. The eastern frontier, bordering the Mongols, is almost completely undefended and worse still, split between us and the Scandinavians, whom hold the coastal region centred on Castle Thorn._

_It might be an idea to buy that land off them in-_

[The document is then unreadable for many pages. Emperor William replies to Recorder Daniels' letter, which discusses the status of the rest of the Empire]

This business of owning North Africa must, purely by being require a change in how we view our fundamental mission. We now rule over a third of the Islamic world as well. Are we to destroy their religion, or work with it? Henry currently prefers the former but I am not so convinced. Christianity is the way, I do believe, yet I cannot afford rebellion or even heightened manpower in those areas whilst Europe is so vulnerable. Another matter to consider is the issue of legitimacy. Whilst we have right of conquest of course, and in Europe a fairly great claim to most of our territory, Iberia and North Africa could still be claimed by various other factions. The Egyptians are our allies of course, but the Spanish and Sicilian Remnants could be great trouble if they are allowed to exist.

…

[As touched upon in the previous situational report, the Hungarians were devoid of their most valuable province in the north western region of their country. The Kingdom of Hungary, which had in the past few years been rebuilding itself after decades of diminishment from Roman forces in the south and Polish and German forces in the north. When all of these former enemies were either busy fighting the British or falling to pieces, the youthful new ruler Edwig seized the chance to reclaim much of the lost crown authority in his realm before reforming what remained his county into a sizeable and able middling power betwixt empires.

It was this power that allowed Edwig to dare to dream of negotiating for the return of the most valuable and vaunted province Hungary had lost in various wars; Vienna and the lands surrounding it were currently serving as the eastern passage that connected Italy to former HRE and Polish lands. Passage through the mountains was always possible but greatly increased journey times and besides which the benefit of Vienna to the British was that it finally placed the Italian kingdom's eastern border away from the Empire's frontier to other lands.

Hungary however, wanted their large chunk of kingdom back and the Empire both did not wish another war and to jeopardise the regrowth of one of only two independent Christian kingdoms left (the Polish by this time were a strong but small one city state, the Spanish Remnant was likewise situated and the Sicilians didn't count). The military and practical benefits to the British were not enough to fight over, especially as the Mongol menace to the east of the British and the north of the Hungarians were a far greater threat.

Unfortunately for William and Robert, their reputation personally amongst the princes of Europe (that were left after three winter wars) can be surmised with the immortal words of Cardinal Lorenzo, _"I would not believe the devil and all his ilk would deign to sup at their table, nor can I imagine a less welcome sight in any lawful land than that of the Bastard and his spawn."_ Though Scandinavia was moving closer and closer to Britain as both Norwegian nobles and the royal family saw them as a great source of wealth and, in the former case, better protection than their own King, elsewhere the British name was in tatters.

Thus the Emperor paid out for Hungarian affection, handing over seventy thousand pounds and the entirety of the Vienna province, along with some beneficial trade deals with the former Venetian Greek islands. The last part of the deal gives historians a clue as to the real intentions of the treaty. Opening up the Meditation Sea to Europe again was a key goal in the British long term strategy, as whilst they had growing ties to Egypt they still did not wish sea trade to be dominated in the East by the Islamic sultanates. Creating a more interconnected trade network also meant that Hungary would move more securely into the Empire's sphere of influence and potentially increase the fighting power their new friends could bring to the table.]

…

**4th April 1080**

**The situation is becoming ridiculous. Iberia alone swallows hundreds of thousands of pounds as we attempt to rebuild (and in many places, recreate) what was destroyed by my father. North Africa is in much the same situation along the coast but even inland towns and cities require immense amounts of work to make them suitable for living in (though surprisingly enough, not as much as Henry was expecting. The Muslims at least know how to build a decent sewer system).**

**We do not condone slavery or forced labour within our lands but the peasants and craftsmen and suppliers are struggling to keep up with the never ending workload and I am struggling with paying for everything. What with the unruly nobles and rioters in Western Germania, we are stretched to the brink and that is not an understatement. The HRE was a bastard foe to fight and now it seems that its corpse cleaning service will yet doom us all.**

**I can only count the blessing that is the Atlantic. At least we cannot extend anymore in that direction. **

…

[In July of that year, Venice as a sovereign people came to an end, when the last military commanders on the east bank across from Italy surrender. Robert founds a city there, appropriately christened 'Unus'.

As Western Germania becomes ever more demilitarised in order to cripple the remaining lords that hold sway there, Metz is broken up after it is determined the castle is unreclaimable. The city of Esse is founded nearby. Other cities are renamed and reconstructed, such as Staufen (renamed Schwarzbereich) and Magdeburg (Damen-Reich). This process took over five years but in the end formed the heartlands of what Germany would one day become.]

…

**26th October 1080**

[A message, hurriedly written and barely legible]

_-uncertain for how long this has been planned within the two courts but I have confirmed that the intelligence is true. The Sicilian and Spanish Remnants are now in a personal union, favouring (from what I can tell) the Spanish but the Sicilians are far larger a force. In short, we believe that Sicily is now taking control of Spanish Macedon with Spanish leadership well placed to control much of what is left of both factions in a few years._

_What this means for us is uncertain. They do not have the power…_

[The page has a tear at this point]

_…but they can now move against the Romans in Greece if they wish. Sire, it is my belief that a war in Greece is now inevitable, though at this moment it is unclear who would win such a contest. What is clear is that we do not have the manpower to intervene and in any case, the Hungarians have requested we stay out of it entirely. _

…

[Though the message appears urgent and the situation tumultuous, very little happened for the remainder of the year in Southern Europe. In the North however, Scandinavia was once again looking towards Russia for expansion.]

…

**Excerpt from the Treaty between the Good Kings of Christendom at Oxbridge**

**"…and furthermore, it is desired that the Scandinavian sovereign and his people, shall remain unconcerned with European affairs for as long as Britain's Empire continues to protect both of their sovereign interests there. It is also so agreed that the British monarch shall not expand nor invade into lands under Scandinavian interests, without express permission from their Sovereign. We define the zones of Scandinavian interests to be the former kingdom of Russia and all territory north of Castle Thorn."**

…

**"Concerning Castle Thorn, the Scandinavian people are willing to provide the British with the keys and the rights to said territory and structures in return for a continuation in the friendships between these two nations and a pact of defence to be made against wanton Mongolian aggression."**

…

[The treaty may seem to have been made on equal terms but in actuality, the Scandinavians were near bankruptcy once more after a string of rebellions, one of which in Iceland led to an eventually British expedition there and is therefore of interest as one of the starting pushes towards western exploration.

Castle Thorn was handed over to the British in fine fashion in January of the next year, which is covered in the next chapter.]


	38. Things Fall Apart

**6****th**** January 1081**

**Castle Thorn has been handed over as per the treaty agreement on the last day of feasting. With it and the surrounding territory, we now possess a united front from the coast to the Hungarian border. To the west lies civilization, Christendom and our Empire. To the east, lies the Mongols.**

**The treaty did its work in getting us some security out here but the attitude of the Scandinavians troubles me deeply. I must ask Daniels to have a look into it but it seems to mine own eyes that they have plans in mind for Russian expansion, which can only end in disaster for them. Potentially, also for us.**

…

**16****th**** February 1081**

Well Daniels' report was accurate but arrived too late to be of any use. The Scandinavians have advanced from Finland into Russia proper, annexing an independent city state on the coast with the intention of seizing the rest of that area soon.

As the Mongols do not yet have any interests in the area this did not provoke outright war however they have issued a decree stating the independents are under their 'protection against unwarranted aggression'.

We may be facing a future crisis here. Simply seizing what is left of the coastline for Finland may be one thing but talk of future expansions into the former Russian heartlands is making many people within my dominion (including myself) very uneasy.

I must speak with Robert-

[The rest of the passage is lost]

…

[Over the following months, the border and the border regions of the Empire were heavily fortified in the north, the Imperial Navy began to seriously bulk up its fleet in the area and much effort was expended on preventing Scandinavian armies from inflaming the situation further. This constant blocking of expansion efforts soured the relationship between kingdoms to a degree and would have unfortunate consequences later on]

…

**4****th**** May 1081**

**I and my father are growing increasingly concerned with the fate of the Romans. Since Constantinople was lost to them the empire has all but collapsed. My father denies this and cannot believe it to be so but it seems the time of judgement has come at last to the old nation.**

**It is a great shame and inconvenience, for they were our ally in the East and by far the best we could wish for. It was only their weakening that allowed for the war in Europe and the disasters in Russia. A strong Christian presence is required in that region, no matter who or what form it takes. The Turks must not be allowed to-**

[The document is unreadable for a few sentences. We suspect Robert is referring to the recent expansions of the Turkish Sultanate in Asia Minor]

**-more than my own life. **

**Still, Greece remains Roman, if tenuously. Perhaps there is something we can do to help? I suppose, since we cannot fight the Mongols yet, we would do well to restore another of our partners, as we have tried to do with Hungary?**

…

**18****th**** May 1081**

A blessing from the Heavens at last! Greece, long has it slumbered, risen again to fight for the old empire. The Romans have retaken Thessalonica after a short siege from those heathens the Sicilian Remnant (who had in turn just recently usurped the positon from the Spanish Remnant).

Let this be the start of the rise to reclamation!

…

**4****th**** July 1081**

**My father has not stopped ranting and raving about the 'Roman revival' for over a month. I hope he doesn't expect us to help in any way. Despite my feelings that the empire should be propped up, we can't fight any large scale wars in the Balkans right now and certainly not with Hungary steely looking on, daring us to try.**

**I have my doubts the Romans will yet retake their lands but it is possible. The Remnant forces are all that stand in their way and I doubt they shall put up too much of a fight. It's Constantinople that has me worried. Even if they are clever men they shall not have enough men to retake the capital once the rest of the European lands are their once more. **

**Not without our help anyway.**

**Damnation, but I believe the Emperor may drag us into war simply for past glories when he has already his own life as a shining beacon of prestige! What shall it take for him to stop?**

…

**7****th**** July 1081**

_His Imperial Majesty recently asked me to look into the situation of the Romans to see what could be done for them. _

_Constantinople stands surrounded by Christians (well, of a certain type anyway, Sicilian heathens and Greek Orthodox Romans anyhow) and it is probable if one faction united Greece and Macedon that the city would fall._

_I doubt this will happen. The Italian outcasts have no drive anymore save to exist and stain their earth with their presence and the Romans are not the power they once were or even capable of fighting a war any longer._

_I understand his concerns though. Barring any personal reasons, the empire was a good thing for us. Now Asia Minor belongs to the Turk and the Far East and Egypt belong to our allies. Two large and powerful Muslim empires, one pro-British, one extremely militant and anti-Christian. This cannot end well._

…

**17****th**** October 1081**

**As of late I am most perturbed by the factions being created and drawn in our Empire. There were always disputes amongst nobles and merchants and commanders and kings but these new breeds of high noble are a concern for stability.**

**The Warlords of Germania are an unforeseen but growing group. Headed by my father's old friend Morcar, the conqueror of France, they command much of central and western Germania as the local lords needed replacing quickly and their troops were the ones securing the land. His protégée's include Arthur Knight (the last of his House, as his brother fell in battle), Harold of Cambridge and Richard the Crusader (our great heroes of the last war), Lord George (my second in command) and the Heavens brothers, Toby and Gregory. They are fiercely loyal to each other, their men and to me, as we all fought and bled together to forge this land. Still, they possess considerable power and their descendants could prove a mighty problem to MY heirs.**

…

[Robert also might have been referring to the second group of powerful nobles; the regional rulers. These included Lord Christopher, Grand Marshal of the Imperial Military and Governor-General of the Home Kingdoms. His family, the Cromwells, would continue to have heavy involvement in British politics for centuries. Of note also were the Lamberts, the family that would eventually rule Iberia and the Gasdille family of Italy. The Governor-Generals of the Islands were also important but less independent, being under the personal command of the Emperor. They did have more pull than the continental stewards however and exercised great military and economic power in their regions.

The third group, the Royal Family itself, was well loved and secure at the top of the hierarchy. William and Robert had earned their place in European history and Henry, whom had won his own empire in North Africa, remained loyal to his father and brother. The nobles listed above were all loyal to these three 'good kings' of history and between them the Empire grew strong and prosperous. No absolute rule is ever perfect but history remembers them as wise rulers and for the time, quite enlightened and tolerant.]

…

**3****rd**** March 1082**

**The Papacy has gone too far this time. **

**The Scandinavian Crusade against our Egyptian friends was difficult to swallow and made relations strained everywhere but at least the situation was salvageable. **

**But this…the Pope has invaded Egypt and taken Alexandria. They aim to march on ****_Cairo_**** next. As of this moment, the Pope has potentially doomed us. The Muslims are enraged. All three of their empires, the Mongols, the Turks and the Egyptians are gearing up for war and this time, it might actually happen. I can't imagine what the Holy Father thinks he can gain from this. How can he think he can win?**

**Does he want us all destroyed?**

**For that it what shall happen if this goes any farther. We shall have to step in to protect our foolish religious leader and then the Mongols will kill us. We can't win.**

**Father is going to murder that man.**

…

**14****th**** March 1082**

_By the Lord! The Papal State has attacked and invaded Greece!_

…

**29****th**** March 1082**

They have taken Greece. Destroyed the Roman army. Desecrated Thessalonica. Ruined any hope of Roman restoration.

I am going to Rome.

…

[The situation was dire but not as bad as they feared. Of the Mongols only the Constantinople section had any interest in aiding the Turks and Egyptians, and the Muslims never really declared war on the British.

Relationships did dry up and the borders were heavily defended but war was prevented between those empires for now. Smaller Christian nations flocked to the Papal banner however, led by the Scandinavian armies. Sicilian fleets began attacking Turkish vessels all along the coast of Africa and even out along the Atlantic coast. The Eastern Mediterranean was filled with warships and flaming wreckages of naval engagements.

For its part, the Imperial Navy flexed its muscles around their island holdings and by order of the Emperor, sailed into the small sea between Constantinople and Asia Minor. The Turk could not be allowed into Europe and the Mongols could not be allowed to be reinforced.

Fearing a response from the long displaced Moorish people, Henry mounts an expedition into the desert to find and raze Timbuktu, the semi-mythical land of the African Muslims. Along the way he was joined by many traveling bands of warriors and peoples who had been plagued by the Moors in their time. Arthur Knight fought with Henry in the ensuing battle that left the Moors a memory and North Africa bar Egypt solidly British. To this day, though there is a large Muslim minority, Christianity of one form or another holds sway there]

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	39. The Begining of the End

**5****th**** June 1082**

**It was only due to the speed of my horse and the far reach of Samuel's network that I was able to catch my father before he entered Rome. This has been a long time in coming I think but now we both really need to decide what to do with the Papacy. **

**Things are not going at all well in Egypt or in Greece. The first relief forces for Cairo have been pushed back by the 'holy crusaders', and my brother does believe that the city will befall a bloody fate before long.**

**How did this happen? How can the Pope believe anything good will come of this? I do not care if the Scandinavians purchased him and bought the election, there is no way the Muslims will be cowed by a motely rabble of second rate powers from the edges of the Empire. **

**I used to feel a connection with my Christian brothers. Now I feel little but contempt for their pathetic ways and the weakness of their kingdoms and the stupidity of their half-baked plots.**

**It is clear to me now that the Papacy has completely betrayed us…but I cannot understand the breadth of their scope or the sudden firmness in their resolve. Who is it that has done this? Who pulls the strings of the would-be Christ on earth?**

**Samuel will find him. I shall bury him.**

…

My son speaks with a firmness of opinion I have not seen in an age.

The Holy Father is at this time locked away in the Vatican, my gift to all men of his station. How it should be that within less than a generation Rome again has been polluted by sin and wickedness I can only guess at. Perhaps the Sicilians are yet again making mischief in the world.

I have been reticent in my rage…yet I will see Rome under leash or burned under foot. Let fire cleanse any that will not be saved by words!

…

**15****th**** June 1082**

_My masters remain in Italy, marshalling their strength and in the meanwhile wondering what it is we should do._

_I have not been sleeping these past days though. My Emperor speaks true about the Remnant forces, they are indeed working with the Papacy, though I do not know what they aim to achieve by working with infidels. _

_Just recently the remaining Roman fleet held in Constantinople's docks were seized by the coalition on their way to besiege the city itself. Those ships are mighty vessels of war and travel, capable of facing the storms and harshness of oceans as well as the waters of the Med. This can mean nothing but trouble. The sea is our domain, no one else's. _

…

[During this time Marrakesh on the shores of the Atlantic was renamed Horizon, as befits the literal edge of the world as the British knew it.

Daniels' main fears about the seizure of the fleet may seem odd considering the other events occurring at that time but it must be understood that sea trade was both incredibly important and open to attack if an enemy was sufficiently powerful.

The lack of rich trading partners aside from Muslim factions drove Italian traders to develop close relations with British Africa and Iberia, forming a second trade triangle to compliment the first one (between Britain, France and Scandinavia). These were linked by both imperial highway and by ever growing merchant ships, which would eventually be enveloped into the first merchant navies. Smaller routes existed between the many small islands under British control, around the coast of Iberia, and through the British Channel.

For early modern historians then, it is easy to see how the third great trade triangle, between Britain, Africa and the Caribbean naturally came to be.

In regards to Rome and the warring amongst Christians, the British decided not to force their way into the Pope's domain but several assassination attempts on church officials followed and when the siege of Constantinople failed, resulting in huge losses of life, support for the crusade failed. That corner of the world quieted for a time, as did the Royal records, save only for the births of Henry and Robert's children. The slow build up to war with the Mongols continued, with many altercations and near-misses from both sides.

Eventually, Robert decided to change the situation in the Mongol's own territory.]

…

**3****rd**** May 1087**

**I have…something in my mind today. Following the most recent reports on the strength and expansion of the Muslims, it is clear that fighting on one front with the Mongols would invite limitless hoards towards our defences. **

**In fact the only thing we can truly do in a war is hope to kill so many of them for every man we lose that we reach a stalemate. To that end I am attempting to create as many 'bottlenecks' and defensive fronts as possible in as many places as possible. There is no disguising that the European border will be our main focus but I think I have found a second place to fortify.**

**If we restore our abandoned holding at Tennyson, we can attempt to reinforce the entire peninsula of Crimea against the expanding Muslims before they get there. Aside from the massive risks involved on land, the Black Sea is filled with pirates and small Turkish, Spanish and Sicilian fleets now that the Romans have left. Getting there will not be easy.**

**I worry for our future. We have accomplished much yet I have only to look at my father to see what a weight this has put on our family. Henry and I are the only ones left that remain of our original fellowship to restore Christendom. I hardly ever see him now. Our children shall be strangers to each other.**

**Their Emperor will not recognise them. He barely recognises me some days.**

**These are dark times for us all. The only bright light for us are the guns and gunships being prepared back home in England. They are nearly ready. Soon we shall have the power to at least defend our island, if it comes down to it, though for Europe…I fear the lights are going out all over it.**

**How did it come to this?**

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	40. The World Undone

[Following three more years of increased military incidents and close calls, the Mongols and the British spiralled ever closer to war. The last decade of the century is perhaps the least complete of any period in these records; this is due more to the fact that the royals did not write so complete a record in these times than they did before or after. Thus we are left with the rest of historical evidence to piece together what happened and the few pages the rulers of the empire did write on.]

**A copy of the remains of the 'Ab terrore': the note of dread, recovered in France 1937**

_Sire, _

_They are here. The walls fell and the town burned and the people died and the Heavens roared._

_Kraków is gone. _

_They are coming_

_..._

_Scraps of letters written between Robert and Samuel in the month of February, 1090._

**Can you confirm… this message? If accurate, we need to know NOW.**

_I don't… my agents are scattered across… however there is only one way that could have happened. Until we hear otherwise, presume war._

**My father… him away? …is not able to… I doubt he can. My friend, the Emperor is mad. What are we to do?**

_…__should never have pushed so far into Russia. Damn those Norsemen to the pits of Hell!_

**Kraków is not vital but we are on the defensive. That crusader town is a symbol of loss to many, now more than ever. Serious thought should be… into taking it back?**

_Lord Richmond was away, thank the Lord. The strike was unexpected and our knights and army in the area are still alive and intact. According to the scouts in the area, the horde that attacked is reduced by half its size. Our militia men in the town went down fighting…_

**…****these people, my people, do not deserve this. They are nothing but the finest in the world. We have to… but we have no choice. If these Mongols can be cut down however… but again, they have a numerical advantage. I would not wish the plague on any people but… God's deliverance.**

_…__spears and walls… we can hold them at the border. But the legions in France…_

**They are nightmares no longer. Now they are men, fearsome, evil men who may yet kill us all yes but no more than that. If it bleeds, we shall kill it. I can keep them in the East, perhaps even in Poland and Russia. **

_God help us…_

…

[The war began in earnest a few days into March, when Lord Harold met the Mongol scout armies that were pushing through British territory. Archaeologists have found the remains of a fort that matches British designs of the time in the border regions of Russia. It is notable that the fort was hastily put together and pulled down quickly afterwards, indicating that perhaps Lord Harold did indeed not only destroy every scouting army of the Mongols (an impressive feat in and of itself) but also met a full horde in battle and won. The Mongol offensive halted for the entirety of March, the British war machine began to mobilise.

However, there was a chance for peace when Lord Richard (classically referred to as Richard the Crusader) launched a successful revenge attack on Halych, a Mongol castle on the outskirts of their territory. It has been a source of much debate (ranging from high table academics and 'What if' scenarios on the internet) as to whether a straight swap for territory and a peace treaty would have been possible at this point. Considering what happened next, the idea certainly appeals to many people, both British and Asian.]

…

**14****th**** March 1090**

A new dawn rises over my Empire. Our canon loaded fleets are ready for the Channel and the Baltic. The southern fleets are also coming along nicely, though recently resources have dried up for some reason. Robert has started a mass recruitment drive for his new model legions and the workforce has understandably become scarcer amongst the docks. I do not know why the boy worries so much. The Mongols have been quiet for years now and the few incidents we have had with them are water under the bridge.

Actually Robert has been more interested in the fleet as of late, which I am delighted by, for it means my heir is finally taking note of the importance of the sea as well as his armies. The Baltic fleet left with him some days ago now. Samuel says he is patrolling the border regions again. I am unsure why he feels the need but no matter. Let us keep an eye on our friends, especially now the Scandinavians have seemingly began another drive into Russia. That…that might not end so well.

My eyes grow tired with the strain of writing. Perhaps I am growing old, as my grandchildren say. Ah, but they are becoming men and women too now. Indeed I have lived long and gained much, losing…many things also. But I am happy.

All is well.

…

**20****th**** March 1090**

More excellent news! The first trio of Carracks are complete in our Iberian ports. These ships shall circumvent the globe, I will have history take note! But not before a grand ceremony of pomp and circumstance.

And…it has been long since I went to those provinces. I shall attend the celebrations myself, since all seems calm here. I trust Robert can keep the realm from falling apart.

I jest, but I trust him. I do, more than anything, trust him to do right by this power and honour bestowed upon us by God. It is time for him to take the lead a shade more. Old I have become…though he still loses to me at chess! Or does he let me win? Either way, I am pleased with the world.

…

_The Emperor has left, thankfully just before the Scandinavian diplomats arrived pledging their support for our cause. The better insulated he is from all this, the better. I am not sure his mind or body can survive the strain of another war. _

_Let my body be tortured and torn apart for treason if needs be. My soul knows I did my duty. _

…

[The expedition around the globe was an important one for us all but the specific event that began a new chapter in world history was a request from the King of Scandinavia to visit the island of Iceland, which had long been silent and forgotten about by the Norwegians before being conquered by the Swedish, whom now wished to see the state of 'their' island.]

**4****th**** April 1090**

**Kraków has been reclaimed, though one victory is replaced by another loss. Our friends and allies have deserted us again, returning home for another civil war. **

**Bah! I shall fight and win alone.**

**My First Legion retook the town under my command and it seems, just in time. This place was to be a staging point by which many invasions into our lands would originate. It explains the impossibly huge horde we had to fight to get here. **

**Words cannot describe… I know now that there can be that many men in one place, as there were in the ancient times of the Scipii. Now I know I have fought a battle worthy of them, for many tens of thousands are dead and many more lost forever in the forests and the cold wastes outside the town. **

**Their leader was interesting. I duelled and killed him personally, by far the hardest fight of my life. He was shorter but stronger than me, perhaps having fought every day of his life. His teeth seemed to my eyes sharp as a wolf and blood dripped from his fingers and mouth like a demon. Of all the Mongols I have faced, it is this sort that lends them their reputation.**

**But he is dead and on a spit. His army gone and his fortress mine once more. Perhaps…we can win this war after all?**

…

[The Second Battle of Kraków was even more important than the first in that amongst the hundreds of thousands of casualties lay the 'Great Khan', the unifier of the Mongols in the first place.

This sent shockwaves across their mighty empire. Fighting ceased as leaders returned to fight amongst themselves as to who would be the new ruler over them all. One Khan however, the friend and companion of the former warlord, refused to return and instead claimed the empire as his own. This was denied in time by the new great khan, who ordered him to stand down.

He refused, leading to the partitioning of the Mongol Empire. The overwhelming majority remained loyal to the system and the decision of their leaders. The splinter group however contained many very large and powerful hordes, as well as much of the land the Mongols had conquered along the Black Sea. They began wearing black to distinguish themselves from their pale clad brethren. This led to them being dubbed the Tenebris Mongols. The original Mongols came to be known as the Alba Mongols.]

…

**17****th**** June 1090**

**They've returned. It seems they've finally chosen a new leader or whatever those monsters call him. Their former master was a fearsome fighter. I can only pray they picked a foolish young weakling, though I do not yet think so lowly of their intellect as to believe it.**

**The other sect, the dark ones, haven't accepted them. Or it seems that way. It is the nature of dogs to fight amongst themselves for dominance. I wish only that they would merely kill each other, not my subjects.**

**The dark ones hold Kiev, the capital of their Russian holdings, along with the southern lands in Russia and the Black coast. This means Constantinople is cut off from the Mongol Empire, though I have no idea how to take advantage. Perhaps the Pope can actually help us for once and storm the city?**

**Halych was the weak point in the former Khan's defence. They gave an inch and I intend to make them regret it. I have commissioned a mighty castle to be built here named Dominion. Let us strike the meaning of fear straight through their black hearts. **

**I am a Khan killer now. Let them come.**

**Let them come.**

…

_It is the Khan's son who now leads the Alba Mongols but I cannot find any evidence of him returning to fight the war. Rather they are concentrating their armies on the other side of the empire as we know it. It seems the Romans are in for a hellish time._

…

[During the construction of Dominion, a citadel class castle that stands to this day, it was attacked three times by the Tenebris Mongols. The walls, such as they were, proved their worth, repelling all attack and eventually becoming known as the Windsor of the East.]

…

**8****th**** August 1090**

_Lord Harold and General Lambert are continuing to perform admirably in their defence of Dominion, though for as long as the construction lasts and the attacks keep up, our forces there are pinned down._

_Robert however is pushing back against the distracted Alba Mongols, whom have made some inroads into British Germania. It was hoped that their attention further east would make our war easier however the bloody repulsion of the Crimean breakout troops under Lord Richard from taking the Tenebris Mongol capital at Kiev indicates that this war is not going to be easily won._

_The King's Men have returned to the east in force to try and find out what is going on in the area. It seems that our fears are proving to be accurate once more and that the Romans are indeed going to be attacked. I do not believe that they can break through the Armenian mountains yet but all territory north of that region is more likely to fall. _

_I should note for history, though it seems difficult to believe there will be others after us in these dark times, that these Armenian mountains of course refer to the fabled Armenians of the Emperor's histories of Rome. The new map of the world as we know it contains a very detailed view of the British and, for the first time in many years, a classical design in which Rome is the centre of the world and not Jerusalem. There are some…inaccuracies that Robert allowed to slip by, such as the relative size of Europe and the Home Islands in particular compared to Africa and Asia but no matter. Such things can be fixed in time._

…

[The Mongols did attack the Romans later that month, leading to the collapse of Roman rule everywhere save for a few military strongholds within the Armenian mountain range itself and, of course, the citadel island of Cyprus, which had served as the capital of that unhappy empire since the fall of Constantinople.

The Turks managed to destroy these castles later in the year, leading to the empire that had stood for millennia being thrown out of every continent they used to rule over. Cyprus would remain for a time longer however.]

…

**31****st**** October 1090**

**Rome is gone. Our allies desert us. The Muslims rule from the Baltic to the Red Sea, desecrate the holiest of places and loom over us like the angle of death. **

**The Mongols are everywhere. There are no cracks in their defences anymore. Now they have a safe and secure border in the East, the tidal waves of the hordes are on the way west. Our one victory, Dominion, is being battered by Tenebris attacks, whilst the Alba Mongols are moving to attack both us and our Scandinavian friends.**

**I have no idea what the state of the rest of the Empire is in. My focus has been soley in Germania for many months now. I know Henry or Samuel would inform me if anything was wrong and I trust both of them to run the Empire in my place. As for my father…**

**I am uncertain. He was a great man. Or is? I do not know. He is becoming lost within his dreams again but this time there is no fever or sickness to explain it. This time, it seems more bengin but at the same time it is destroying his reality. Perhaps the Almighty is pulling him closer? Perhaps he shall be granted further gifts of prophecy or healing? One day, we shall know.**

**Until then, he will be kept safe. At least…for as long as the war remains here.**

* * *

**Recorder TBC's Notes: **Aside from the war, the ships sent to Iceland landed in December of 1090. There they found a people that had, for whatever reason, been cut off from the world of men for many decades. Historians are still mystified as to how this colony became so separate from Scandinavian interest.

More attention in popular history is given to the arrival in Iceland of Anthony, son of Rufus. Now a man of 16, he was granted command of the exploration mission by William (after consultation with Robert, Anthony's guardian). There are many reasons as to why the Royals sent him. Almost certainly it was to remove him from court and away from a military command but other theories suggest it was to ensure that some prestige was awarded to the expedition and that Anthony was in fact, one of the better qualified for the job, being an excellent sailor and scholar.

In a year of darkness and despair for many, hope was awaiting just around the corner. For when Anthony arrived at the island, he began to hear rumours and legends of another Norse colony further to the north and far more westward than any Roman had ever gone.

Intrigued, Anthony sailed away to find this undiscovered country.


	41. Old and New Powers

**Extracts from letters exchanged during the Christmas period 1090/1091 between Crown Prince Robert and Samuel Daniels**

_-but are you sure? …Treason. If you have need of me, than I can… but it feels both wrong and right within my heart. Where would he-?_

**Samuel, I cannot say whether this is right or wrong. It is merely what we must do. Everything… lost… and all might be so again. To… what can I do? I fight for him and yet… I must. **

_Whatever you decide, it is you that the generals will follow. A few of the old guard might object quietly but… and I have misgivings myself. But for the Empire-_

**-for the Empire, we would do anything. But we owe-**

_-I think His Majesty will enjoy retirement._

…

**6****th**** January 1091**

My son has come to me at last. Long have I seen concern crease his brow. Even my older grandchildren look at me so. They worry about my health…too much? I cannot bring myself to say so. Perhaps they are right. I must look so old to young eyes, so grey and so weak.

I am leaving. He wanted me to take an extended tour of the Empire, to visit every one of my subjects one last time. I said I would consider it. I'm sure Harry would be pleased to see me. I'm told he has become a worthy man in his own right! I knew he had it in him.

But for now, I take after old Tiberius and so many other Scipii leaders in retiring to my favourite island to rest and relax.

However, an idle king I shall not be, for little befits it! I shall spend a few months in Mann, my favourite of the Home Islands before visiting (in turn) my son in New Carthage (a second Rome it has become and my heart bursts in pride for it), Sicily where the walls fell and finally Cyprus, to speak with the twilight Emperor of Rome. His time is coming to a close too, as is his people's history at last. Perhaps it is time for me. Perhaps…

And then…I know not. Perhaps to return to fair England and plant a new garden. Or forest. Perhaps…perhaps…my life has taken a new turn and now I have so many possibilities I did not know I had. My God is graceful in his mercies towards his servant it seems.

I weep for my lost youth but not too bitterly. I spent it well and would not change a thing.

Not for my life.

…

[The ailing Emperor William retired to Mann soon afterwards, believed by all who lived under his rule. Yet his health and mind were failing him and historians believe he may have suffered from some form of dementia in his last years. The man who had created and ruled one of the most impressive creations in history up to that point was starting to slip away.

With de facto rule falling to Crown Prince Robert, the Fourth Winter War began; the twist being this time that the aim was to keep the foe within the icy grip of the frozen north rather than allow the Mongols into the breadbasket or heartlands of the Empire.]

…

**23****rd**** February 1091**

_The Mongols are at it again in Dominion. Rumours of war elephants seem to be accurate, though these ones are far smaller and less fearsome than the African beasts we have seen before. They must be coming from some other place._

_I do not yet know if the rumours of hand gunners on these beasts are accurate but it would not surprise me at this point. Even more so than their white brethren, the Tenebris Mongols are far more nightmarish in quality._

_Vilnius reports that-_

…

[Recent findings from the University of Cambridge seem to have finally placed the location of Vilnius, the fortress at which a very large battle was held between two British Legions and three Alba Mongol hordes.

Biographers of Lord Harold state the general was pursuing one of the three from a previous victory before running into two reinforcing armies. Whilst his supporters and detractors amongst historians debate whether he could have won such a battle, in reality Robert's First Legion joined battle within two hours of fighting, allowing a giant flanking manoeuvre that crushed the Mongols. This battle, the largest fought thus far in the war, ended the second Mongol invasion into Germania and gave momentum squarely back to the British.

Over the following months, the Mongols are pushed back to Vilnius and besieged there. With their frontlines failing, Alba Mongols streamed towards the front, abandoning the slow assault they were pursuing in Crimea. This was a critical mistake and the British took full advantage. Within weeks, several armies from the Greek Islands, Iberia and Africa would land there, providing fresh troops for the war effort, a large problem for the Mongols to face and bringing Henry into the war personally.]

…

**My brother,**

**I have arrived amongst my Legions. The Iberians and some of the Greeks are already here and so I shall organise us all together. **

**The King's Men are out looking for ideal places to attack first but our end goal is of course Kiev. Leave the black cloaks to us. **

**…****our father is not well. I shall tell you more in person. But go forth and bring honour to his name!**

**Your General and brother,**

**Henry**

**(Dated 9****th**** September 1091)**

…

**24****th**** November 1091**

**Dominion is nearing completion, a load off of my mind and another slap in the animal faces of our enemies. Let our flag fly high and taunt their failed attempts to cut it down!**

**My brother's arrival came in good time and I have confidence he shall handle the Tenebris Mongols well enough for mine own legions to push forward.**

**I have also heard that the Papacy is moving towards taking another hammer to the fallen city once again. Perhaps Constantinople shall be reclaimed after all, though its recapture for Christendom may enrage the Turk enough for him to throw in his lot with our enemies. If that happens…**

**Our father is not well. I do not know what that means. My subtle 'minders' have indicated nothing out of the ordinary from him and Samuel tells me nothing either.**

**It shames me I am not more concerned but I have the width of the world on my shoulders and Atlas himself could not take such a strain at this time and yet ply on more.**

…

[In early 1092, the Papal Coalition (comprising mostly of Italians, exiled Spanish and Sicilians) did indeed invade Constantinople, dispatching the weakened and cut off Alba Mongols and maddening the Turkish Empire to such a degree that they declared war on all of Christendom, joining the Mongols in a 'jihad' against the infidel.

The Egyptians remained neutral but moved closer and closer to their brethren to the north and away from the absent British. East and West were becoming increasingly polarised.

…

**14****th**** March 1092**

**Dominion is complete but the fort system that did the majority of the defending during construction and Lord Harold's legion is utterly diminished. They recently repelled another Tenebris army and once again inflicted terrible losses on the enemy but at a price. They cannot hold much longer without respite. So I am taking my legion forward and leaving them to recuperate within the now-safe citadel. **

**This puts myself at greater risk but I can see no alternative. If we do not decisively shatter the Mongols soon their numbers will be bolstered ****_again_**** by the damned Turks.**

**The situation is desperate and needs must. If I do not return but do strike my enemy down…I would not have it any other way.**

…

_I have just received word of…another nature. A battered ship emerged from the Atlantic fog and cast our colours high for all to see. Anthony has found his Greenland and sent a message back. _

_It has been many months and we had, perhaps too quickly, assumed the worst. But it seems God smiles upon our young friend and even greater honours may yet be his._

_Because there was something else in the ice!_

_A new island? The great Leviathan of biblical tales? Or something else entirely?_

_Anthony does not know but implores we who remain to stay ready for great discoveries. Something is coming that will change the world. I feel it. But it won't come yet. He is busy in Greenland. Apparently the men there (that they managed to survive on that barren rock at all is a miracle for the ages) require civilizing to European standards once more and have…missed out on the Christening of the Norsemen. So unfortunate for them but they can yet be saved!_

_It is indeed an extraordinary time to be alive! Our world may be changing in terrible ways but this new knowledge reminds us that God always sends deliverance to those in need._

…

**1****st**** January 1092**

_Sire,_

_I apologise in interrupting your celebrations but the war situation has changed and the Papal Coalition has broken down._

_The Sicilian and Spanish remnants and exiles have thrown off Papal authority, attacking our ships randomly as they escaped from Constantinople to Cyprus. Apparently the Romans have sunken so low as to house these devils. I am thankful only that His Imperial Majesty left there some time ago._

_We've also located the stolen Roman fleet; they brought it with them as a bargaining chip. As much as it might displease some conservative members of the court, I feel we must consider the Romans to be part of a new alliance with the Spanish and Sicilians. Perhaps even the Papal States in time._

_I trust that this, along with the relative weakness of the Papacy at present (their army in Constantinople could be…delayed for many weeks for the right price) that ALL steps will be taken to stop the Papacy from allying with these heretics._

_If I may be so bold, here is a list of suggestive actions we should take…_

…

**5****th**** May 1092**

**The Pope has outlived his usefulness as an independent ally. He may remain in the Vatican and rule Rome as he sees fit but he belongs to me and he is my servant, not the other way around. This Church reform grants final say in the Church to the Emperor…and those who speak for him.**

**Never would I have thought this day would come but I have no choice. The world is falling apart and I must defend Christendom just as my father did. With authority and leadership.**

…

**Recorder TBC's Notes:** The reformation of Latin Christendom was accepted in British lands and in Scandinavia. Almost nowhere else.

The Greek Orthodox Church was infuriated and the Papal army in Rome swore allegiance to the newly installed patriarch, whom excommunicated the entire British Empire from the 'one true faith'.

This splitting of Christianity left deep scars across the faith and led to much destruction and bloodshed in the coming centuries.

The Winter War continued but waned in brutality. The Mongols were effective and numerous but every leader taken down by the British led to more divisions and infighting. The following few years were a mixture of large scale battles in Russia, complete victory in Crimea with the destruction of the Tenebris Mongols and the capture of Kiev and many more smaller skirmishes in the water and on land.

In the last few years of the 11th century, Russia fell apart into a formless mass of city states and small petty kingdoms, making the conflict bloodier on a smaller scale (with entire towns being decimated by either side, civil unrest or another neighbouring town) and even harder for the Mongols to fight. The Mongols would eventually withdraw from Russia, and the West, in 1116AD.


	42. Breaking point

_Another missive from Greenland, how exciting! It has been a year and they have been busy indeed. A settlement has been established that can serve as a base and safe harbour for further expeditions to the west, where the new land lies. Current estimates range from it being as large as Europe to a chain of large islands…only time will tell who is right._

_A newer outpost has been founded in this new area, apparently some form of peninsula they have dubbed Newfoundland (I do not know whether they are joking or not. We can surely do better than that!)._

_More news from the 'new world' will be slow to arrive but in the meanwhile we must think up of names ourselves, for the land we already have and for what to call the whole place._

…

**-gust 1093**

**The Mongols are being brought low in Crimea tonight. Henry has forced them back from that land all the way to Kiev. He anticipates the destruction of the Tenebris Mongols to swiftly follow. **

**His success is commendable and he clearly shows great strategic insight but I suspect his guns and his canon do much to kill his foes. It is an open secret about the gunpowder both we and the Muslims have been developing and Africa has becoming a great producer of these guns for our troops. England remains at the forefront of technological research and creativity but Africa has a greater supply of the stuff. **

**I am glad we managed to stop the Moors before they began deploying their own men with these weapons. Wars in the future will certainly feature them heavily…though my knights can yet make mincemeat of even the best 'sharpshooters'.**

**I must ask Samuel to-**

…

**18****th****…arch…95**

**Russia is in total chaos and I am pulling out the majority of my legions from it. Let the Mongols try and regain control if they can. Let them bleed dry on their rebels' blades.**

**What is left of my legions…this war has been costly and we gained nothing but our continued existence. The Mongols will be back eventually. We didn't even touch their mysterious empire in the Far East and before them we have the increasingly militant and angry Muslim empires. **

**I just hope that, though blood is in the air, wolves and jackals do not descend to pick at the wounded lion.**

…

[The Empire was in poor straits after the breaking of Russia. The war did continue but merely at a trickle of what was once a mighty roaring river. The Mongol Empire, the clear power in the world at the start of the Winter War had, in spite of Robert's musings, been greatly hurt by the war, losing all of their land in Europe and destabilising the Mongol leadership.

The British meanwhile had greatly expanded at sea and were above and beyond all else on the water. In every other capacity the war had left a paper tiger of a once great empire. The economy was shattered, the population, still struggling from previous wars and the plague was diminished and the dealings with the Pope and the failing health of William drastically decreased the Empire's standing in the eyes of many.

The Muslim empires of the Turks and the Egyptians were the true 'winners' of the war, having barely contributed to it but still had seen Christendom collapse in on itself, the final end of the Romans in their lands and even the elimination of a threatening fellow Muslim empire.

Aside from the changing hands of power once again in the old world, the new world was expanding more and more. The islands that would eventually become known as the Caribbean were discovered in November of 1095. This voyage was notable for being made up of both the original explorers and a new fleet from the Empire's major ports in the Home Islands and the Iberian provinces. It is also of intense interest to many historians for this was when Europeans first began interacting with Native Americans, in both positive and negative ways. For further details on the exploration and colonisation of America (and the wars involved), please see the companion book to this trilogy.]

…

**16****th**** July 1096**

My father is dead.

…

_I say nothing to Robert yet but the Empire is not taking the news well. The women wail in the streets and the men have seemingly lost all hope in the future. _

_And…we have new enemies. The Hungarians have been waiting for this day for many years. I believe they will attempt to fight us and anyone else for control of Greece, Macedon and Constantinople. With the power of the papacy broken, not even that holy place will be safe. I do not know how the Roman Collation will respond but it will be bloody. War, war and war, all over again._

_Was this what we set out to achieve? Christendom is more divided than ever before. Millions of people are dead and now the dreamer, the holder of hopes has been taken from us._

_Perhaps God is having second thoughts too._

…

**7****th**** September 1096**

**Hungary has invaded our weakened flank. My brother the Emperor still fights to bring some order to our border regions in Germania and Crimea. There are not many troops to spare…I don't even think we have a legion left outside of Germania that isn't recuperating or destroyed. **

**These Hungarians though…they have never fought anything like the British. And a wounded, cornered British Empire is not something they can survive. No matter the cost, I will preserve our father's legacy. **

…

_One piece of good news from the old and new world each! Our trade network is, after the unfortunate deaths of some natives, up and running in the colonies and our old friends the Collation are dead in the water._

_We destroyed any remaining forces they had in Europe and are giving serious though to taking Cyprus from them, though it may be that the Egyptians shall take it first._

_I grieve for my old friend. When he came to me I was a lowly cleric and he the new king of England. Now I stand old and grey within a marble office, looking at the world that is his empire. For it was his and his alone. I am beginning to see that now. No one else was destined to hold that title…not even Robert._

_We were a bright spark in a dark age and all I can say after a lifetime of horrors and nightmares is that it was worth it to bring humanity kicking and screaming along the path God has placed before us. _

_This world has changed because of us. Whatever the consequences, this world shall never be the same again…_

…

[The Roman Collation, comprising of the remnants of the Spanish, Sicilian and Papal State nobles and exiles, their armies and resources ad those left of the Roman Empire were a strange organisation that baffles many students of history. 'Rag tag' does not begin to describe this collection of completely opposing political, economic and religious groups all untied only by their fear and hatred of the British. For the majority of their history they have been demonised by the world's historians (perhaps understandably, given later actions) but these early collaborators could not possibly have planned the genocidal campaigns of later generations.

What we know about the Collation is that it was nominally led by the Roman remnants, traditionally referred by the British as Byzantines to discredit them, filled with Spanish and Italian nobles and their men and financed by what remains of all of their treasuries, plus however much the Papacy was secretly sending them (the true amount has never been discovered).

Such a displacement of power led to some violent infighting throughout history and greatly aided the British in combating them. In fact, little might have become of the group had they not had in their possession both the remains of the imperial fleet, the old Papal Coalition's stolen fleet and, most vitally, prototypes developed in Venice and stolen during the Fourth Winter War. All that together meant that, in 1106, most of the Coalition fled to the New World to take their chances there, taking as many guns, men and animals as they could. Cyprus would continue to holdout against British and Turkish assault for nearly three decades before finally falling to the newly created Ottoman Empire.]

…

**18****th**** May 1107**

_The Scandinavian expedition has unfortunately made it to the new world, landing on the middle ground between our mainland colonies. _

_They have escaped a hell of which they know not. The King has died and the political situation, not that stable to begin with has…decayed. Old age did not take their leader and many know it. That land has plunged into a civil war that cannot possibly be resolved for many years. _

_I wish it did not have to involve the Empire but the lords of Norway have defected en mass to our banner and we now have thousands of people as well as leagues of shoreline to defend and protect. A nightmare of resources it is._

_Africa is starting to look like the only safe place in the world._

…

**4****th**** July 1107**

My boy Anthony tells me in his latest batch of letters that the Scandinavians are being unruly but not altogether hostile. That is the best that can be expected.

He is in a far better place than I. This Empire is at a breaking point and I cannot dare to dream about resolving it. We strove too far and took to much, too quickly. Or perhaps it was our enemies that ruined us. Or the plague.

Perhaps all…or none. Fate might have doomed us before we had even begun.

…

**A copy of Anthony's report to Robert on the loss of the mainland colonies 1115AD:**

_They came out of the lowlands and surprised us all. Calling themselves 'Americans' after their leader (whom I killed), the south of the northern part of the continent is gone. Florida is gone, all south of there is enemy land._

_It is all gone. We now patrol our islands with fear and our northern colonies even more so. I don't trust the Scandinavians either. This land that held such promise has been corrupted by we men. _

_A cleansing is in order but I have not the power to do so. I turn to the power that has._

* * *

**Recorder TBC's Notes:** There is little left to say about this chapter in the Royal Memories. The Empire was in no fit shape to combat the loss of colonies across a great sea, not when its own lands where being invaded. 'America' then, for many decades, began with Florida and continued south, whilst above that line was wilderness, native tribes and on the east coast, more British colonies. Scandinavian colonists (though no longer under the command of their absent rulers in Europe) claimed the land on the other side of the Mississippi river and from there until the frozen norths of what one day would be Canada was nothing but natives and empty spaces. Then came the oldest British colonies in the New World in Greenland, Newfoundland and Canada.

The loss of the land was not truly such a great one for the Empire, for it had barely begun to be developed. It was a greater defeat in that it gave their enemies more territory and a direct border with far more valuable colonies, as well as moved them dangerously close to the islands off the coast that were the heart of the British colony effort at the time. Were those to be lost, the New World would fall out of British hands entirely.

In Scandinavia, the civil war eventually led to a British Norway and the other regions splitting into the older kingdoms that existed before the greater one. Troubles between these kingdoms ran rife but the death and chaos of the past had drained each of their resources greatly. No war came to that place for some time.

So when the dust cleared around the old and new worlds, things looked quite different. There were rising threats and powers in the new world whilst the British had been pushed back. In Europe, aside from the Empire there were only minor powers nipping at their outer reaches. Hungary lost its war for expansion and instead was treated to decades of invasions from the Turks, whom eventually controlled most of Greece before finally, besieged on all sides, Constantinople fell once again to Muslims. Elated, the newly christened Ottoman Empire focused on matching the power of the British before taking any offensive action, leaving a fragile peace reminiscent of the one before the Third Winter War.

The Mongols withdrew from western concerns and headed back to the far eastern lands from whence they came, defeated but not destroyed.

The Ottomans, following this withdrawal, began to court the powerful yet geographically smaller Egyptian kingdom into their graces, leading within five years to the melding of the two into one, uniting the holy lands and making a truly formidable opponent for the British to face in the years to come.

Throughout it all, Robert continued to fight and the rule in the best ways he knew how, sporadically updating the Memories but leaving it more and more to his advisor Samuel Daniels and his brother Henry to deal with. He died in 1120 due to a fitful illness. His father, whom had lived for 72 years and ruled for 28 of them, Robert had ruled for 30 years and also lived to 72.

Henry, coming into middle age at 37, did what he could to hold the Empire together. His personal friendship with the Ottoman emperors aided him greatly in his endeavours and he even managed to end the wars in the Balkans for some time, though tensions there always remained high. As he aged, whispers began about what would happen when the last of the three good emperors was gone. Their fears were partially justified by what occurred next.

…

There have been many writing on the Royals and their role in shaping the modern world. They were great and powerful, skilled commanders and fine diplomats. Their failings in empire management and in curbing reckless expansion have caused many to judge them. Many also praise them for decisively ending what is referred to as a 'dark age' of culture and technology, and it is certainly true that without their influence the world would not be quite so advance as it is today. They were, in the end, earth shakers and world movers. I do not tend to 'great men history' but here certainly are William, the man that did the impossible and here also is Robert, whom managed to keep a military won empire alive with its founder dead. And then we have Henry, who made peace wherever he could and defended his realm to his best ability.

Whether their actions deserve condemnation or salutation, it is clear they deserve recognition for truly changing the world and the human race forever.


End file.
